Overview
- At a State Dining Room dinner, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi toasted Barron Trump’s March 20 birthday and called him “a very tall, good-looking gentleman.”
- Barron and First Lady Melania Trump were not in attendance as the dinner capped Takaichi’s first White House trip since she became prime minister in October.
- Takaichi congratulated the United States on its 250th anniversary and announced Japan will gift Washington 250 additional cherry trees, including replacements for removals around the Tidal Basin.
- In an earlier Oval Office exchange, President Trump defended keeping allies uninformed about Iran war plans and joked about “surprise,” asking, “Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?”
- Takaichi emphasized strong U.S.–Japan ties, noting the upcoming IndyCar event with Honda engines and NTT sponsorship, and said “Japan is back.”