Trump’s call to Japan’s Ishiba focused on Mideast trip, F-47s, self-praise, not trade: report
Report claims the 45-minute conversation was a surreal monologue about the US president boasting about his achievements
A source from the Ishiba administration, quoted in the report, said the US contacted Japan on the morning of May 23 with a request from Trump to speak with the prime minister later that day.
The request caused concern in Tokyo, as Japan’s trade negotiator was about to depart for Washington to push for the removal of US tariffs on Japanese imports. Officials worried Trump would push for more American agricultural purchases instead of lifting sanctions.
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When the two leaders were connected at 11am local time, 10pm in Washington, “Trump’s tone was so relaxed that the Japanese side was taken aback,” the Asahi reported. An official said it was as if Trump “was lying down and talking”.