A transcript from a recent phone conversation between Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and President Trump indicates that the president is very impressed with the leader’s murderous rampage in combating the War on Drugs in his country.
“I just wanted to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem,” Trump said, according to the Washington Post. “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.”
According to the transcript, Duterte explained that his violent methods were absolutely necessary in order to salvage the Filipino nation. Not only did Trump offer his appreciation for Duterte’s head hunting philosophies, which has lead to the deaths of around 9,000 people, he then went on to say that his predecessor, Barack Obama, just didn’t “understand” what it takes to fight the drug war.
“I understand that and fully understand that and I think we had a previous president who did not understand that, but I understand that and we have spoken about this before,” Trump said.
President Obama largely criticized Duterte’s willingness to kill in the name of a sober nation. But it is readily apparent that Uncle Sam’s latest President fully supports the concept of taking violent measures to prevent the use of illicit substances.
Of course, drug reform advocacy groups are up in arms over the transcript, calling Trump’s comments a “new low.”
“It fills me with disgust to see the U.S. president congratulate someone who has overseen the massacre of thousands of his own people in the name of the war on drugs,” Michael Collins, deputy director of national affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, told the Huffington Post. “The U.S. government should be urging restraint and respect for human rights; instead Trump gives Duterte’s deadly drug war his seal of approval.”
