In a recent statement, President Trump justified his decision not to inform Japan ahead of a military strike on Iran, drawing a historical comparison to Japan’s unexpected attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, which resulted in the deaths of 2,403 Americans.

Speaking to a Japanese journalist while seated next to Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, in the Oval Office, Trump emphasized the element of surprise as a strategic advantage. “We didn’t disclose the details to anyone because maintaining surprise was crucial,” Trump explained.

Trump then referenced Pearl Harbor to illustrate his point, remarking, “Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?”

He elaborated on the effectiveness of the surprise element in the operation, stating, “Surprise is a tactic you value more than we do. Our surprise action led us to achieve significant results – we neutralized about 50% of the targets within the first two days, exceeding our expectations. Announcing the operation beforehand would have eliminated that advantage, don’t you agree?”