The Japanese First Lady might have pretended not to speak English to avoid chatting with Trump

[n2doc]

In a recently published interview with the New York Times, Donald Trump remarked that he had a rather awkward few hours with the First Lady of Japan Akie Abe.

Speaking to the Times' White House correspondent Maggie Haberman, Trump recounted a dinner at this year's G20 summit in Hamburg where he was seated next to Mrs Abe.

So, I was seated next to the wife of Prime Minister Abe, who I think is a terrific guy, and she’s a terrific woman, but doesn’t speak English.

Haberman responds

Like, nothing, right? Like zero?

And the back and forth continues.

Like, not 'hello.'

Haberman:

That must make for an awkward seating.

Trump:

Well, it’s hard, because you know, you’re sitting there for——

Haberman:

Hours.

Trump:

So the dinner was probably an hour and 45 minutes.

Except... That might not be exactly what happened.

Author and columnist Jessica Valenti has pointed out on Twitter that Mrs Abe does in fact speak excellent English...

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https://www.indy100.com/article/donald-trump-japanese-first-lady-her-excellency-madame-akie-abe-speak-english-7850846

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

1. I have a colleague in France, a former english professor no less...

who pretends not to speak English to avoid engaging with his loutish British neighbors, he has been pulling this off for two or three years now.

[Leghorn21]

2. Ha ha ha, right on, Mrs. Abe!! Life's too short to engage in "chitchat" with this

short-fingered vulgarian!!

[lpbk2713]

3. She would rather not know if Trump thinks she's a hot babe.

She has probably had an interesting phone
conversation with the French PM's wife.

[louis-t]

4. Ha!!!!!!!

She speaks English, she just doesn't speak 'Stupid'.

[Neema]

5. He doesn't speak English either. Who can blame her?

Also, she's my new hero.

[JDC]

6. That is awesome

[JHan]

7. K & R LOL

[malaise]

8. But the Con's translator speaks

Japanese - how does this lie make sense.

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. On the other hand, she (and her husband) are basically Scott Walkers/Donald Trumps themselves

But for the Abes, that includes a good dose of Japanese exceptionalism and old-school "we're the best race ever"-ism, so even though ideologically they aren't too far off the Donald, perhaps they also realize what a boor and pathetic shitpot he is.

Still, it's a real pot-calling-the-kettle-black kind of bizarrity.

[n2doc]

10. To the Abe's, Trump is a Barbarian

I suspect they feel like they shouldn't have to interact with him at all, except maybe to see what they can get out of him.