Japanese PM toasts ‘very tall, handsome’ Barron Trump’s birthday: ‘It’s clear the place he bought it’
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gave a toast to Barron Trump’s birthday as she was hosted for dinner by President Donald Trump in the State Dining Room Thursday night.
‘Donald, tomorrow is the birthday of your son, Mr. Barron Trump. And I know he has grown up so much, into a very tall, good-looking gentleman,’ Takaichi said through a translator.
The comment received cheers and a round of applause.
But Takaichi wasn’t done.
‘It is clear, Donald, it is very clear where he got it. Of course, from his parents. There is no doubt about it,’ she said.
The first son turns 20 on Friday.
Barron was not in attendance at the dinner, with First Lady Melania Trump also absent.
Takaichi didn’t bring her husband on her trip to Washington, which marked her first trip to the White House since being elected prime minister in October.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (left) toasted Barron Trump’s birthday, which is Friday, during a dinner in the State Dining Room hosted by President Donald Trump (right) Thursday night
‘The very tall, good-looking’ Barron Trump, as Takaichi referred to him, was last seen publicly attending President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address last month. He turns 20 on Friday. He’s with half-sister Ivanka (left) and First Lady Melania Trump (right)
She is the first woman to hold the role.
Thursday night’s dinner consisted of a menu of carrot ginger velouté, Maine lobster au gratin and strawberry vanilla cream gateau for dessert.
Earlier Thursday, during one of Trump’s freewheeling back-and-forths with reporters, the President shockingly mentioned Pearl Harbor in front of the Prime Minister.
A Japanese reporter had asked the President why he kept American allies in the dark about his Iran war plans.
To that, Trump responded, ‘You don’t want to signal too much… we wanted surprise.’
‘Who knows better about surprise than Japan?’ he said. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor!’
The December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, a naval base located in the Hawaiian Islands, is what brought the US into World War II.
But at the Thursday night dinner, Takaichi was all smiles, also pointing out to the President the US-Japanese connections in the upcoming IndyCar race to take place in August in Washington, D.C., as part of the US’s 250th birthday celebration.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also brought up the upcoming IndyCar race, celebrating the US’s 250th birthday and the 250 cherry trees Japan gifted to the United States
Thursday night’s dinner consisted of a menu of carrot ginger velouté, Maine lobster au gratin and strawberry vanilla cream gateau for dessert
Honda makes engines and Japan’s NTT group is classically a sponsor at IndyCar races.
‘As you see, IndyCar race is a perfect example of the friendship between Japan and the United States,’ she said. ‘So I do hope that you have a huge success at this racing event.’
Takaichi also noted that it was close to cherry blossom season, which has ‘long been letting us know the arrival of spring.’
Japan gifted 250 new trees to mark America’s birthday and to replace ones chopped down around the Tidal Basin as part of a restoration project.
‘My original plan was to bring so many cherry flowers and directly hand it to you, Donald, but unfortunately, because of the very strict quarantine measures that I couldn’t make this happen,’ the prime minister said.
During his toast, Trump spoke of the cherry trees as well.
‘The prime minister’s visit comes as we’re just days away from the most beautiful season here in Washington, which by the way, is a crime-free city,’ Trump said, referencing the National Guard patrols that are still ongoing.
He called the cherry blossoms ‘something very special.’
A photograph from 2020 shows the cherry blossoms in bloom around Washington, D.C.’s Tidal Basin. Peak bloom is expected later this month.
A photograph of ‘Stumpy’ one of the cherry trees that had to be cut down to repair the sea walls around the Tidal Basin. Japan’s gift of 250 cherry trees will be planted to replace those that had to be cut down
‘I mean it’s something that really represents Washington so well as a living symbol of the cherished friendships between two of our world’s most extraordinary nations,’ Trump said.
He then thanked the prime minister for Japan’s gift of 250 ‘very big, beautiful trees.’
‘They’ve already started the planting, but it’s 250 beautiful specimen trees and we’ll get you over here, we’ll check them out after they’re planted,’ he pledged.
