The president of the Philippines said that while he and President Donald Trump are similar, the new American president has one advantage over him.
President Rodrigo Duterte envies Trump because his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, is very attractive, reports the Philippine Star.
“[Trump] has a very beautiful wife. I envy him. If you were a billionaire and you have such a beautiful wife, then you become president and you have that wife, you’ll feel like you’re in heaven,” Duterte said Sunday at Camp Crame.
“That’s his advantage over me,” he added.
Duterte believes that he and Trump are both strong leaders with similar ambitions.
“Look at his inaugural speech. He will stop drugs. We’re not different. He will really kill you,” Duterte explained.
The president of the Philippines, known for his shocking, off-the-cuff remarks, maintained a rocky relationship with the Obama administration due to the latter’s criticisms of Duterte’s war on drugs and human rights violations; however, he has a positive view of Trump.
He argues that Trump should not be underestimated. “Do not assume that he is stupid. He wouldn’t be a billionaire if he were stupid,” Duterte said.
Duterte was among the first international leaders to congratulate Trump on his surprise victory over Hillary Clinton. “I would like to congratulate Mr. Donald Trump. Long live,” he said the day after the election.
He also said that he was done fighting with America. “I don’t want to quarrel anymore, because Trump has won,” Duterte added.
Duterte and Trump’s foreign policy goals appear to be very compatible.
“[Trump] mentioned that they will not impose their lifestyle on other nations … The President of the United States believes in protectionism, America first,” Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, who actually attended Trump’s inauguration, said Saturday.
“The policies of President Donald Trump and President Duterte are similar in that respect. We have an independent foreign policy, and the president of the Philippines also subscribes to the belief that it is important that we serve the interests of the Filipinos first,” he further explained.
“It looks like our president and President Donald Trump would really get along together,” Andanar concluded. Duterte and Trump had a pleasant and productive phone conversation last month.
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