Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte tells Obama to 'go to hell'

On Tuesday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte once again attacked President Obama, this time telling the president to "go to hell." The remark was Duterte's response to criticism about his country's drug crackdown — which has killed more than 3,000 suspected drug dealers and users since June, when Duterte assumed office.
"Instead of helping us, the first to hit was the State Department. So you can go to hell, Mr. Obama. You can go to hell," Duterte said, arguing that the U.S. should have supported his efforts instead of focusing on the death toll. As for the European Union, which also criticized Duterte's crackdown, he said: "Better choose purgatory, hell is full already."
In another speech later Tuesday, Duterte suggested he would "break up with America," though it was unclear whether he meant he'd cut ties during his six-year term. "I would rather go to Russia and to China," Duterte said, pointing out that both countries have said they could provide his country with weapons — something the U.S. has refused to do.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Just last month, Obama canceled a meeting with Duterte after the Philippines leader called him a "son of a bitch" over Obama's suggestion they'd discuss human rights. Last week, Duterte compared himself to Adolf Hitler and said he would be "happy to slaughter" the country's "three million drug addicts."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
May 31 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include how much to pay for a pardon, medical advice from a brain worm, and a simple solution to the national debt.
-
5 costly cartoons about the national debt
Cartoons Political cartoonists take on the USA's financial hole, rare bipartisan agreement, and Donald Trump and Mike Johnson.
-
Green goddess salad recipe
The Week Recommends Avocado can be the creamy star of the show in this fresh, sharp salad
-
White House tackles fake citations in MAHA report
speed read A federal government public health report spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was rife with false citations
-
Judge blocks push to bar Harvard foreign students
speed read Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard against the Trump administration's attempt to block the admittance of international students
-
Trump's trade war whipsawed by court rulings
Speed Read A series of court rulings over Trump's tariffs renders the future of US trade policy uncertain
-
Elon Musk departs Trump administration
speed read The former DOGE head says he is ending his government work to spend more time on his companies
-
Trump taps ex-personal lawyer for appeals court
speed read The president has nominated Emil Bove, his former criminal defense lawyer, to be a federal judge
-
US trade court nullifies Trump's biggest tariffs
speed read The US Court of International Trade says Trump exceeded his authority in imposing global tariffs
-
Trump pauses all new foreign student visas
speed read The State Department has stopped scheduling interviews with those seeking student visas in preparation for scrutiny of applicants' social media
-
Trump pardons Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery
speed read Former sheriff Scott Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal bribery and fraud charges