The president’s latest criticism of Trump came after the GOP candidate laid into him at a town hall Wednesday night on national security issues.
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Obama has repeatedly warned against the perils of the Trump presidency, suggesting the Republican nominee would be woefully unprepared to take office should he win in November.
Before leaving for Laos, Duterte said he will swear at Obama in the Asean summit if the US President would question him on human rights and extrajudicial killings. “Do not just throw away questions and statements, Son of a whore, I will curse you in the forum”, Duterte said. “When you speak, it should actually reflect thought-out policy you can implement”.
One of his first events when he returns is a solo campaign stop for Hillary Clinton, the second time he’s hit the campaign trail for the Democratic candidate.
“We will pursue initiative and enhance cooperation with global partners to ensure that the Asean citizens live in peace, stability, security, and growth all while remaining Asean’s unity and solidarity, we will maintain for all times”, he said. Asked to acknowledge he would not be able to fulfil his campaign promise to close the Guantanamo Bay detention centre, Mr Obama pushed back.
“I trust that under the Philippines’ Asean chairmanship in 2017, in addition to the meaningful celebration of the 50th anniversary of Asean, the Asean community will continue to gain new achievements, in order to turn the Asean Community Vision 2025 into reality with concrete outcomes”, Sisoulith said in a speech delivered before the Asean delegates in Vientiane, Laos.
Still, the United States has in recent months accelerated the rate at which detainees who have been approved for transfer are released from the facility.
“There is no doubt that because of the politics in Congress right now, it is a tough road to hoe”, Obama conceded Thursday.
“I don’t take these comments personally because it seems this is a phrase he has used repeatedly, including directed to the Pope and others”.
“I realize this raises tensions”, Obama said earlier as he met with ASEAN leaders, referring to a recent worldwide arbitration ruling against China on the maritime dispute.
Correction: An earlier version of this article and the headline incorrectly quoted a remark President Obama made about Donald Trump.
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The Republican nominee said Russian President Vladimir Putin has been a better leader than Obama and that US generals have been “reduced to rubble” on the commander-in-chief’s watch.
