Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that Barron Trump was a “good-looking gentleman” during a dinner at the White House.
Takaichi paid a compliment to Barron last night, just a day before Trump’s youngest child’s twentieth birthday.
The Japanese leader also remarked upon Barron’s height. The NYU student stands around 6-foot-9, according to estimates, with photos often showing him towering over his father, President Trump, and mother, First Lady Melania Trump.
“I know he has grown up so much into a very tall, good-looking gentleman,” Takaichi said. “As I see you, Donald, it is very clear where he got it. Of course, from his parents.
“There is no doubt about it,” she continued. “So Donald, if I may ask you, please convey my sincere happy birthday wishes to him.”
open image in galleryTrump has previously joked about his son’s height, telling crowds in Iowa in 2024 that his mother-in-law, Amalija Knavs, was responsible for his stature.
“That's how he got so tall, he only ate her food,” he said.
During the remainder of her speech, the Japanese prime minister said that her country will gift 250 cherry trees to Washington, D.C., to celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary.
Washington, D.C., was first gifted cherry trees by Japan in 1912, as a show of friendship between the two countries.
Takaichi added, “Japan is back.”
Trump was also complimentary during his own speech, describing Takaichi as a “great friend and partner.” According to him, the pair have become “very close.”
However, earlier in the day, Trump created an awkward moment after he made a joke about Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 that killed 2,335 active U.S. military servicemembers and 68 civilians.
open image in gallerySpeaking about the launch of the U.S. and Israel’s joint air campaign against Iran on February 28, Trump said that the United States “didn’t tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise.”
“Who knows better about surprise than Japan?” he said, before turning to Takaichi. “Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor, OK?”
Takaichi, 65, was born two decades after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Last night’s dinner was the conclusion of Takaichi’s visit to the White House. Ahead of her visit, the question of the Iran War’s impact on the flow of energy supplies loomed large.
Amid the ongoing conflict, Iran has tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping lane through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquified natural gas supplies pass.
According to Zero Carbon Analytics, 87 percent of Japan’s fossil fuel imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, making it particularly vulnerable to shocks in the region.
Japan and five European countries issued a joint statement on Thursday demanding that the Islamic Republic cease its attacks on the Strait. The statement also said that the six countries were prepared to contribute “appropriate efforts” to ensuring the safe passage of ships through the region.
