Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivered an unexpected birthday tribute to Barron Trump during a White House dinner on Thursday evening, calling President Donald Trump’s youngest son a “very tall, good-looking gentleman” and suggesting his appearance clearly comes from his parents.
The remarks came during Takaichi’s first official visit to Washington since becoming Japan’s first female prime minister in October. As she stood alongside the president in the State Dining Room, the 65-year-old leader turned her attention to Barron, who turns 20 on Friday.
“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 an interpreter, drawing laughter and applause from dinner guests. She then asked the 79-year-old president to convey her birthday wishes to his son, who was not on the guest list for the evening’s event.
Barron Trump, who stands somewhere between 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-9 according to various reports, has maintained an extraordinarily low profile compared to other members of the Trump family. The NYU sophomore has no social media presence and has made only two public appearances since his father returned to office in January—the inauguration and the State of the Union address last month. He resides at the White House while attending the university’s D.C. campus.
The birthday shout-out was just one of two “important anniversaries” Takaichi celebrated during her remarks. She also congratulated the United States on its upcoming 250th anniversary, calling America “an icon of freedom and democracy in the world.”
Japan plans to gift Washington, D.C., 250 additional cherry trees to mark the semiquincentennial. The prime minister, known as a car enthusiast, also expressed excitement about the upcoming Freedom 250 Grand Prix, which will bring IndyCar racing to the National Mall in August.
The dinner capped a day of meetings between the two leaders that included moments of tension. During an earlier Oval Office session, President Trump made a controversial comparison between U.S. strikes on Iran and Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, joking about the element of surprise.
“We didn’t tell anyone about it because we wanted a surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?” Trump said to laughter.
According to reports, Takaichi appeared uneasy during the comments, her slight smile dropping as she raised her eyebrows and took a slow, deep breath.
The visit comes amid significant foreign policy challenges. Takaichi told President Trump that the world faces a “very severe security environment” due to the ongoing U.S.-Israel war with Iran, which began with joint strikes in February. She expressed confidence that only Trump “can achieve peace throughout the world.”
President Trump called Takaichi “a very special person” and “a great friend and partner,” and said they have become “very close.” He indicated he expects Japan to step up support in the Iran conflict, calling it “appropriate” given the country’s reliance on oil that passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
However, the military collaboration faces domestic resistance in Japan. A recent poll by The Asahi Shimbun found that 82% of Japanese do not support the U.S. war in Iran.
Takaichi, often referred to as Japan’s “Iron Lady” for her staunchly conservative views, praised the relationship between the two nations. She called the upcoming IndyCar race in Washington, sponsored by Japan’s NTT group, a “perfect, perfect example of the friendship between Japan and the United States.”
The prime minister also lamented that strict quarantine measures prevented her from bringing cherry blossoms to present directly to the president during her visit.
As for the birthday boy himself, Barron Trump has largely avoided the spotlight since his father first took office when he was just 10 years old. He did not appear at the premiere of his mother Melania Trump’s documentary “Melania,” though he did sit with his family during the State of the Union address last month.
First Lady Melania Trump has consistently worked to shield her son from public scrutiny, keeping him out of the political fray even as other Trump family members maintain high-profile roles in the administration and media.
The dinner marked a diplomatic milestone for Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female prime minister last October. President Trump had visited her in Japan last year and backed her candidacy in the country’s February snap election, which resulted in a historic landslide victory for her Liberal Democratic Party.