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Most American presidents wouldn’t heap praise on a foreign leader for spearheading an anti-drug campaign that has killed more than 7,000 people, including children as young as 4 . Donald Trump, as we learn again and again, isn’t like most US presidents.
“I just wanted to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem,” Trump told Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in a chummy phone call, according to a transcript obtained by the Washington Post and other media outlets. “Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that.”
There’s a lot to unpack there. In September, Duterte likened his quest to rid the Philippines of drug addicts to Hitler’s purge of European Jews, saying he’d be “ happy to slaughter ” millions of drug addicts. Humans rights groups around the world have condemned his extrajudicial killings, and the Obama administration was critical of it as well. (Duterte responded by calling Obama a “son of a whore.”)
Trump, by contrast, appears not only unfazed by Duterte’s bloody methods, but actively supportive of them. During the call, he encouraged Duterte to visit the White House, an invitation he’s made in the past as well.
“I will love to have you in the Oval Office,” Trump said. “Any time you want to come … Seriously, if you want to come over, just let us know. Just take care of yourself, and we will take care of North Korea.”
Trump can’t stop himself from boasting about firepower
The other striking moments in the conversation revolve around the topic of the threat posed by North Korea.
At one point, Trump boasts to Duterte that among the firepower he has in the region are “two nuclear submarines” off the coast of North Korea. It’s unclear whether this is a case of Trump carelessly discussing sensitive national security matters, as was the case recently when he told visiting Russian diplomats about highly-classified intelligence about ISIS that the US had received from Israel.
Mira Rapp-Hooper , a senior fellow at the Asia-Pacific security program at the center for a New American Security said on Twitter that it is potentially “a hugely problematic disclosure,” depending on what kind of submarine the US has deployed.
Trump also pressed Duterte for his thoughts on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who Trump described as unhinged and dangerous.
“We can’t let a madman with nuclear weapons let on the loose like that,” he said.
Most experts say that Kim, much like previous North Korean leadership, is in fact remarkably predictable in its behavior.
Trump’s actual foreign policy ideas, however, are notoriously hard to predict or pin down. Trump recently praised Kim as a “smart cookie” and said it would be “an honor” to meet him under the “right circumstances,” which have made him sound at least somewhat open to a diplomatic solution.
But he has also warned of a potential “major, major” conflict with North Korea, and his administration has deliberately refused to rule out a preemptive strike against the regime.
A great deal of what policy course is decided upon hinges on whether or not the administration considers Kim rational, and on this front they’ve been inconsistent.
So to sum it up, on this call Trump was exceptionally warm with an authoritarian leader, added to our confusion about how feels about a crucial foreign policy challenge, and was potentially reckless in revealing national security information. Sounds about par for the course.
Trump appears to be incapable of portraying American values.
What a total fuckwad he is! He approves of murdering people in the streets randomly, with no arrest, no charges and no trial! THAT is the sign of someone who wants to turn America into a dictatorship!
Trump doesn't seem to know that Duterte is pulling away from the U.S. and getting cozy with Russia. The Russian navy is how making port calls in the Philippines and Duterte is planning on meeting with Putin and the talk of arms sales from Russia to the Philippines is in the works.
Wake the fuck up Trump.
Wake the fuck up Trump.
Like that will ever happen.
Trump doesn't seem to know that Duterte is pulling away from the U.S. and getting cozy with Russia.
I'd be willing to bet that's one of the reasons he likes him.