Trump references Pearl Harbor during meeting with Japanese PM on Iran war

News | US-Israel war on Iran Trump references Pearl Harbor during meeting with Japanese PM on Iran war US president said that Japan was 'stepping up to the plate' to support the US war without offering details. Listen (5 mins) Save Click here to share on social media Share Add Al Jazeera on Google By Reuters Published On 19 Mar 2026 19 Mar 2026 United States President Donald Trump has told Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that he expects her country to “step up” to assist with securing the Strait of Hormuz amid the US- and Israeli-led war against Iran. But at a news conference in the Oval Office on Thursday, a reporter pressed Trump about why he did not tell US allies like Japan in advance about his administration’s plans to attack Iran. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 Iran warns it will show ‘zero restraint’ if infrastructure attacked again list 2 of 3 Japan begins release of oil reserves as Iran war sparks energy crisis list 3 of 3 European nations, Japan to join ‘appropriate efforts’ to open Hormuz Strait end of list Trump responded with a quip about the Japanese sneak attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor during World War II. “We wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan, OK? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?” Trump asked Takaichi, who appeared uncomfortable. “You believe in surprise, I think, much more so than us,” Trump added. It was a remarkable moment in an otherwise short Oval Office media appearance for the two leaders, who are expected to discuss trade and global security. Takaichi is among only a handful of leaders to visit the White House since the war against Iran began on February 28, and she is one of the first to meet with Trump after he pushed over the weekend for a coalition of allies to defend the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a vital artery for the oil trade, with nearly a fifth of the world’s supply passing through the narrow waterway. Iran, however, has largely shut down traffic through ...