Foreign affairs

Trump's White House invite to Duterte sets off firestorm

The White House is facing fresh criticism following an invitation President Trump extended over the weekend to controversial Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte, who has been accused of numerous human rights violations in his southeast Asian country.

Not only were U.S. lawmakers left scratching their heads at the Duterte invite, but The New York Times reported that officials at the State Department and the National Security Council were caught off guard and that it’s likely to spur internal objections.

Duterte’s leadership in the Philippines and his controversial war on drugs has led to a sharp spike in extrajudicial killings. He’s been accused of masterminding mass killings and is facing a complaint for alleged mass murder before the International Criminal Court.