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Indonesian president’s hot mic moment with Trump amplifies private-public debate
The Indonesian president’s request to meet Eric Trump has stirred debate about whether he was acting out of national or personal interest
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A viral hot mic moment in which Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto was heard asking US President Donald Trump if he could meet his son Eric shortly after the Gaza ceasefire summit in Egypt has raised questions about Jakarta’s diplomatic strategy and whether the move was tied to any business agenda.
The offhand exchange, however, is not expected to have much political bearing in Indonesia as observers note Prabowo enjoys strong support back home.
The brief conversation between the two leaders, captured after a press conference at the Sharm el-Sheikh peace summit on Monday, took place as Trump stepped offstage after delivering remarks to a group of world leaders gathered for the event, which followed the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
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Speaking to Trump as the two men stood behind a podium with a microphone, Prabowo refers to a region that is “not safe, security-wise” and then asks Trump: “Can I meet Eric?”
Trump says: “I’ll have Eric call. Should I do that? He’s such a good boy. I’ll have Eric call.”
Prabowo then mentions the name “Hary” in a comment and says “we’ll look for a better place”.
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