Manila – US president-elect Donald Trump has invited Rodrigo Duterte to the White House next year, an aide to the Philippine president said Friday.
Duterte congratulated Trump on his election victory in a phone call, presidential assistant Christopher Go said.
Go described the conversation between the two as “engaging and animated.”
The conversation lasted for seven minutes and 20 seconds.
Duterte invited Trump to a summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year, which the Philippines is hosting. US President Barack Obama has regularly attended the summit.
Go said the two unconventional and temperamental leaders seemed to hit it off during the phone conversation.
While the United States and the Philippines have been long time allies, Duterte has been hostile to the Obama administration.
In a speech earlier this month, Duterte appeared to have a different outlook towards Trump pointing to their “similarities.”
“I don’t want to fight now that Trump’s there. I would like to congratulate President Trump. Long live, Mr Trump! We both curse at the slightest of reason. We are alike,” he said.
The White House noted it had expressed concern over Duterte’s rhetoric in recent months, including cancelling a planned bilateral meeting between the leaders earlier this year. However, spokesman Eric Schultz would not criticize Trump’s invitation, noting it was up to the incoming president to decide which leaders to meet.
-dpa
