President Donald Trump met Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the Oval Office at the White House to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, during the meeting, Trump asked a racist question about a Japanese reporter on Thursday.
The President was later called out for the allegedly “racist” comment that he made at the White House. During the meeting in the Oval Office, a reporter asked a question, and Trump turned to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and asked her, “This looks like one of your people right here,” he said. “Is he good or bad? Is he a good reporter or a bad reporter?”
Trump to the Japanese PM as a reporter with an accent tries to ask him a question: “This looks like one of your people right here. Is he good or bad?” pic.twitter.com/5rovkT7PW8
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 19, 2026
Trump’s question seems to relate to the reporter’s appearance and accent, and caused the president to be slammed on social media for racism. A netizen wrote,“Trump’s racism on display for the millionth time.” Another social media user posted. “’This looks like one of your people right here’ What a RACIST comment! Did He really just say that?”
During the press conference, Trump also joked about the Pearl Harbor. “Who knows better about surprise than Japan?” Trump said to a reporter, as Takaichi sat next to him. “Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?” he added.
Another post on X revealed the moment when Trump commended the Japanese Prime Minister for her English skills, saying, “Do you understand this? Very good. I’ll tell you! It’s so nice that we don’t have to sit through a translation. I haven’t picked up your language. The next time you come, I’ll have your language mastered,” Trump added.
The meeting between the two world leaders had the Iran war at the top of the list for discussion. It comes shortly after Trump made a desperate plea for help from other nations, including Japan, to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the lack of a positive response from other world leaders has delayed the President’s visit to China.
.@POTUS commends Japanese Prime Minister @takaichi_sanae‘s English skills: “Do you understand this? Very good, I’ll tell you! It’s so nice that we don’t have to sit through [the translation]… The next time you come, I’ll have your language passed.” 🤣 pic.twitter.com/8RqjzZj6Pu
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 19, 2026
Meanwhile, Takaichi, Japan’s first female Prime Minister and a conservative leader, acknowledge before heading to the US that the meeting would be “very difficult.” However, Japan has previously spoken out against Iran’s development of its nuclear program.
The Japanese PM, via a translator, said, “Even against that backdrop, I firmly believe that it is only you, Donald, who can achieve peace across the world.”
Donald Trump told reporters that Japan is “really stepping up to the plate” in relation to its support for the US in the war against Iran, but gave no other details.
