President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly invited Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte — the man who told President Obama to "go to hell" and threatened to "break up" with America — for a meeting at the White House next year, Reuters reported Friday, citing an aide to Duterte. The Philippine president's special adviser Christopher Go said the invitation came during a "very engaging, animated" phone call between Trump and Duterte that lasted "just over seven minutes."
Duterte has already expressed enthusiasm about Trump's victory, and said he does not "want to quarrel anymore" now that Trump will be assuming office. Duterte's relationship with the U.S. has been rocky recently, after Obama suggested he would question Duterte's campaign against the drug trade that has left thousands dead. "Son of a b-tch, I will swear at you," Duterte responded, prompting Obama to cancel their meeting.
A "source" indicated last week to Reuters that Trump will approach his relationship with Duterte with a "clean slate." "He is perfectly capable of talking to Duterte in an open way without being wedded to previous policy failures," the individual told Reuters. "If anyone is going to be able to right the ship, it's someone with Mr. Trump's profile."
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Even before news broke of Trump's conversation with Duterte, The New York Times reported that the president-elect's "freewheeling phone calls with foreign leaders" had "unnerved diplomats at home and abroad." So far, he has praised the president of Kazakhstan, who The Times described as "one of the world's most durable despots," expressed interest in visiting the "fantastic country" of Pakistan, and seemingly blown off the British prime minister.
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