Trump compares US Iran strike to Pearl Harbor 'surprise' in meeting with Japan's PM
His comparison drew gasps from some in the Oval Office.
President Donald Trump on Thursday, seated next to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the Oval Office, compared the first U.S. strikes against Iran to Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II.
Trump was asked by a Japanese reporter in the room why he didn't inform U.S. allies in Europe and Asia that the military operation was going to take place.
"Well, one thingyoudon'twant to signal too much. You know, when wegoin, we went in very hard, and we didn't tell anybody about it because we wantedsurprise," the president responded.
"Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Okay. Why didn't you tell me aboutPearlHarbor?" Trump said, smiling.
The remark drew a mix of gasps, murmurs and laughs from others in the room.
"No, you believe in surprise I think much more so than us," Trump said. "And we had to surprise them, and we did."
Japan's attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941 killed just over 2,400 Americans and plunged the U.S. into World War II.
Speaking about the U.S. strikes against on Iran on Feb. 28, the start of the war now in its third week, Trump said the surprise nature gave the U.S. a military advantage.
Takaichi is the first major ally leader to visit Washington since the war began.
Trump called her a "friend" as they met at the White House and said Japan is "really stepping up to the plate" in support for the U.S. operation in Iran -- though he did not provide specifics about what that assistance entails.
"Unlike NATO," Trump then added, taking an additional jab at European allies after they rebuffed his call to help the U.S. reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Takaichi started the bilateral meeting by discussing what the conflict in the Middle East meant for the global economy, saying it is experiencing a "huge hit," before reiterating her support for Trump.
Takaichi said the conflict in the Middle East is a "huge hit" to the global economy and expressed disapproval of the escalating crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, but stopped short of mentioning Trump's request for Japan to send assistance to the critical waterway.
"But even against that backdrop, I firmly believe that it is only you, Donald, who can achieve peace across the world," she said.
ABC News' Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.
