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Asked by a Japanese reporter why he did not tell allies in Europe and Asia about his plan to launch a war on Iran, which the Japanese people apparently found confusing, President Donald Trump responded Thursday that he needed to count on the element of surprise.

Then he went further.

Seated next to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Trump said, “Who knows better about surprise than Japan, OK? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor? OK? Right?”