# Trump did not know what happened at Pearl Harbor **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 17, 2020, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545 "2020-01-17T03:05:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/41 "2020-01-18T17:16:45Z")
> [@LoneRhino](#): > > That’s Senator Blutarsky to you sir. Yeah, and he’s now going to acquit Trump without hearing any new testimony. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/42 "2020-01-18T17:27:54Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Bush Sr. mentioned Pearl Harbor was on Sept 7th maybe PTSD from having been in combat, although maybe trump has PTSP from those awful bonespurs.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/43 "2020-01-18T17:58:36Z")
GHW Bush’s Pearl Harbor was slightly more than a slip of the tongue because he gave a speech and said that “today” was the anniversary a few months before the actual anniversary in December. It’s not that he was ignorant but I’d classify it as more of a brain fart rather than plain misspeaking. He Knew the facts but they eluded him for the moment. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/44 "2020-01-18T21:12:55Z")
I don’t really know what happened at Pearl Harbor either - an uncle was there but I wasn’t and I haven’t visited the site. I have general ideas of disbelieved radar operators, most of the Pacific fleet dispersed already, “a day to live in infamy,” and such. If I was visiting, I’d brief myself on which ship was sunk where, and be glad my dad’s carrier was elsewhere then. (He had three shot out from under him.) But I’d make sure I wouldn’t have to ask, “What’s this?” This POTUS said there are nice Nazis. My father and uncles fought the Axis. Were they on the wrong side? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/45 "2020-01-18T21:13:27Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > I mean, I think the FCPA is a good law to have, but every year I get training on it and it’s never really clear what’s an acceptable bit of baksheesh that’s culturally expected and what’s a bribe. It doesn’t actually matter for my job, but at least the company can say I’ve read the training and signed the documentation. I get the same sort of training (and it doesn’t matter for my job, either), but my takeaway is that it is never, \*ever \*acceptable even if the culture you’re doing business in “expects it”. No bribes, baksheesh, expensive gifts, ins with politicians, dinners out, red carpet premieres, tickets to sold-out plays, lagniappe, nothing. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/46 "2020-01-19T16:03:10Z")
Trump probably figured Pearl Harbor was the pseudonym of a stripper …. ya know… like Tempest Storm. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/47 "2020-01-19T16:33:10Z")
all major businesses have rules against offering bribes to anyone. If you do it you likely get fired real fast. Also in the same book they write Mr. Bone Spurs called the US military leaders babies and dopes. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/48 "2020-01-20T13:32:42Z")
George Conway is tweeting excerpts from “Stable Genius” book which is coming out Tuesday the 21st. Funny but sad stuff : [https://twitter.com/gtconway3d](https://twitter.com/gtconway3d) ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/49 "2020-01-20T13:58:54Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > I get the same sort of training (and it doesn’t matter for my job, either), but my takeaway is that it is never, \*ever \*acceptable even if the culture you’re doing business in “expects it”. No bribes, baksheesh, expensive gifts, ins with politicians, dinners out, red carpet premieres, tickets to sold-out plays, lagniappe, nothing. Ever. Yep. I have to watch a video on it every year even though the odds that I will ever be in that situation is nil. Basically the take away I got was: you can bring a couple of cheap pens with your company name on it to give to a company President and everything else gets cleared through legal and it they say no, it’s a no. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/50 "2020-01-20T14:30:00Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Trump probably figured Pearl Harbor was the pseudonym of a stripper …. ya know… like Tempest Storm. He did suffer through the Stormy Daniels sneak attack. So unfair! ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/51 "2020-01-21T18:37:57Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Did you read the first paragraph of the linked Yahoo article? Yes, and it says Trump “seemed to know next to nothing about the events of Dec. 7, 1941…”. But it offers no examples of why the authors think this. Maybe he didn’t, but they haven’t shown any actual evidence of that. I was truly interested in this, but didn’t see anything at the Post article that was linked to either. ETA: And for the record, when I asked “Did I miss that part” I meant it. Had a long day… ---
**Author:** ![Wallet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e99b99/32.png) [@Wallet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallet)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/52 "2020-01-22T01:31:47Z")
Originally Posted by **Ann Hedonia** : _“It’s just so unfair that US companies aren’t allowed to pay bribes to get business overseas” Trump says, according to the book. “We’re going to change that”._ > [@Velocity](#): > > I find the wording of this very questionable. I don’t doubt that Trump might _ **want** _ American companies to be able to bribe or illicit foreign officials, but I highly doubt he’d actually \*\*\*say \*\*\*things that bluntly. This whole sentence smacks of poorly-written projection by the book author. [snip] from [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-says-he-hates-corruption-but-he-wants-to-make-bribery-easier-worldwide/2020/01/20/d6d6a652-3bcd-11ea-8872-5df698785a4e\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-says-he-hates-corruption-but-he-wants-to-make-bribery-easier-worldwide/2020/01/20/d6d6a652-3bcd-11ea-8872-5df698785a4e_story.html) In 2012 … he gave an extended CNBC interview ranting that the FCPA is a “horrible law” and that “the world is laughing at us” for enforcing it. “Every other country goes into these places, and they do what they have to do,” he complained. If American companies don’t offer bribes, too, he said, “you’ll do business nowhere.” ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2020, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/53 "2020-01-22T03:37:49Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Yes, and it says Trump “seemed to know next to nothing about the events of Dec. 7, 1941…”. But it offers no examples of why the authors think this. Did you read the second paragraph? Hint: it’s an example of why the authors think this. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/54 "2020-01-22T19:11:50Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Did you read the second paragraph? Hint: it’s an example of why the authors think this. This? > [@](#): > > “Hey, John, what’s this all about?” Trump reportedly asked Kelly. “What’s this a tour of?” I will acknowledge this could be a hint, perhaps of the fact that Trump didn’t know what the USS Arizona Memorial was a tribute to specifically. Or of something more, such as Trump not knowing 1. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941 2. They destroyed huge quantities of ships and other military hardware 3. Two thousand four hundred people were killed in the attack 4. The attacked led directly to the US declaring war on Japan and Germany. If the article could show that, they would definitely be on to something. But as it offers no specifics, I am inclined to believe that the article is bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2020, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/55 "2020-01-22T20:06:56Z")
> [@Wallet](#): > > Originally Posted by **Ann Hedonia** : > _“It’s just so unfair that US companies aren’t allowed to pay bribes to get business overseas” Trump says, according to the book. “We’re going to change that”._ > > from [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-says-he-hates-corruption-but-he-wants-to-make-bribery-easier-worldwide/2020/01/20/d6d6a652-3bcd-11ea-8872-5df698785a4e\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-says-he-hates-corruption-but-he-wants-to-make-bribery-easier-worldwide/2020/01/20/d6d6a652-3bcd-11ea-8872-5df698785a4e_story.html) > > In 2012 … he gave an extended CNBC interview ranting that the FCPA is a “horrible law” and that “the world is laughing at us” for enforcing it. > > “Every other country goes into these places, and they do what they have to do,” he complained. If American companies don’t offer bribes, too, he said, “you’ll do business nowhere.” OK, I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2020, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/56 "2020-01-22T20:48:08Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > I will acknowledge this could be a hint, perhaps of the fact that Trump didn’t know what the USS Arizona Memorial was a tribute to specifically. Or of something more, such as Trump not knowing > > 1. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941 > 2. They destroyed huge quantities of ships and other military hardware > 3. Two thousand four hundred people were killed in the attack > 4. The attacked led directly to the US declaring war on Japan and Germany. > > If the article could show that, they would definitely be on to something. But as it offers no specifics, I am inclined to believe that the article is bullshit. [According to the book, Kelly had to explain about the “stealth Japanese attack” and such.](https://books.google.com/books?id=PvCpDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT188&dq=%22A+Very+Stable+Genius%22+pearl&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj_h4TiiJjnAhUMvlkKHZkEB08Q6AEwAXoECAcQAg#v=onepage&q=pearl&f=false) ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/57 "2020-01-22T21:35:43Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > If the article could show that, they would definitely be on to something. But as it offers no specifics, I am inclined to believe that the article is bullshit. If you don’t accept Trump asking, “Hey, John, what’s this all about?” to be an example of Trump not knowing what something was about, I don’t know what to tell you. It is so extremely straightforward that I’m honestly curious how it is possible to see it differently. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2020, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/58 "2020-01-22T21:45:21Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > [According to the book, Kelly had to explain about the “stealth Japanese attack” and such.](https://books.google.com/books?id=PvCpDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT188&dq=%22A+Very+Stable+Genius%22+pearl&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj_h4TiiJjnAhUMvlkKHZkEB08Q6AEwAXoECAcQAg#v=onepage&q=pearl&f=false) That link shows that my supposition that when Trump asked “what’s this all about?”, it was when he first arrived at the “stark white memorial”, and that’s what he was referring to, not the actual attack. But then it goes on to say that Kelly had to explain to him about Pearl Harbor. But again, no real details. And without going into too much detail about this relatively unimportant subject, what does “appeared to understand that he was visiting the scene of a historic battle” even mean? Did he start making fake “hand pistols” and with accompanying shooting noises? And “he did not seem to know much else.” Seem? Well, did he or didn’t he? Wishy-washy words like “seem” rarely help to convince me of something. In any case, after reading this I am a bit more inclined to believe that Trump knew next to nothing about what happened at Pearl Harbor. Far from convinced, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Wait, I take that back, it would surprise me. Even after the last three years. What American of his age doesn’t know about Pearl Harbor?! ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2020, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/59 "2020-01-22T21:47:24Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > If you don’t accept Trump asking, “Hey, John, what’s this all about?” to be an example of Trump not knowing what something was about, I don’t know what to tell you. It is so extremely straightforward that I’m honestly curious how it is possible to see it differently. In post #54, I address this directly. ETA: “…perhaps of the fact that Trump didn’t know what the USS Arizona Memorial was a tribute to specifically…” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2020, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545/60 "2020-01-22T22:02:57Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > That link shows that my supposition that when Trump asked “what’s this all about?”, it was when he first arrived at the “stark white memorial”, and that’s what he was referring to, not the actual attack. But then it goes on to say that Kelly had to explain to him about Pearl Harbor. But again, no real details. And without going into too much detail about this relatively unimportant subject, what does “appeared to understand that he was visiting the scene of a historic battle” even mean? Did he start making fake “hand pistols” and with accompanying shooting noises? And “he did not seem to know much else.” Seem? Well, did he or didn’t he? Wishy-washy words like “seem” rarely help to convince me of something. > > In any case, after reading this I am a bit more inclined to believe that Trump knew next to nothing about what happened at Pearl Harbor. Far from convinced, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Wait, I take that back, it would surprise me. Even after the last three years. What American of his age doesn’t know about Pearl Harbor?! [Keep](https://books.google.com/books?id=PvCpDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT188&dq=%22A+Very+Stable+Genius%22+pearl&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj_h4TiiJjnAhUMvlkKHZkEB08Q6AEwAXoECAcQAg#v=snippet&q=devastated%20the&f=false) [going](https://books.google.com/books?id=PvCpDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT188&dq=%22A+Very+Stable+Genius%22+pearl&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj_h4TiiJjnAhUMvlkKHZkEB08Q6AEwAXoECAcQAg#v=snippet&q=trump%20had%20learned%20about%20%22a%20date%22&f=false)… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-did-not-know-what-happened-at-pearl-harbor/846545.md?page=4)