Metro Manila — U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump weighed in on his country's ties with the Philippines, criticizing President Rodrigo Duterte over his anti-U.S. rhetoric.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters on Tuesday, Trump said Duterte's recent statements against the U.S. show "a lack of respect" for the Philippines' decades-old ally.
"I think it's a horrible thing that the United States is reduced to being thrown out of a country," Trump said in reaction to Duterte's declaration that he wants foreign troops out of the Philippines.
Read: Duterte: I only want to see Filipino troops on PH soil
However, Trump lambasted Obama's alleged lack of engagement with world leaders, blaming him for the downturn in Philippines-U.S. relations, Reuters said.
"There's a big group of people that are in that category (of world leaders who dislike Obama) because Obama wants to focus on his golf game," Trump said in the interview.
"He doesn't want to take the time necessary to get along with people. It's too bad," he added.
Duterte has repeatedly criticized the U.S. and Obama.
The President's latest salvo came on Wednesday, when Duterte reiterated that he wanted foreign troops, of which America has over 100 on Philippine soil, to leave the country as part of his pursuit of an independent foreign policy.
Related: Japan Welcomed Manila-Beijing Improving Ties
"I want, maybe in the next two years, my country freed of the presence of foreign military troops," Duterte said in a speech on the second day of his official visit to Japan.
In response to U.S.'s expression of concern over the alleged extrajudicial killings in the Philippines' drug war, Duterte said Obama should look into America's human rights' problems first.
Obama said he did not take Duterte's comments personally and that these have no impact on the strong ties between the two allies.
Even before assuming the presidency, the tough-talking former mayor of Davao City said the Philippines will not be dependent on the U.S. under his government.
Source : cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/10/26/Trump-Dutertes-anti-US-comments-show-lack-of-respect.html
Related Video : Trump's Interview
Trump Said Duterte's Latest Comment Shows A Lack Of Respect
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