Trump Thanks Duterte for His Hospitality
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump's visit to Asia (all times local):
3:35 p.m.
President Donald Trump is again thanking the president of
the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte (doo-TEHR'-tay), for hosting world
leaders at the annual ASEAN summit.
Trump tells the leaders of member nations gathered in
Manila that he's "here to advance peace, to promote security and to work
with you to achieve a truly free and open Indo-Pacific."
Trump says Duterte provided "incredible hospitality" to
the leaders during their visit, including entertainment at a dinner
Sunday night that reportedly featured Duterte singing Trump a song.
Trump is also once again touting U.S. economic gains since the election, saying the country has been moving ahead "brilliantly."
After Trump's remarks, Duterte instructed "the media to leave us alone."
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1:25 p.m.
President Donald Trump is ignoring questions about human
rights abuses as he meets with the president of the Philippines, Rodrigo
Duterte (doo-TEHR'-tay), on the sidelines of an international summit in
Manila.
Trump says he and Duterte have "had a great
relationship." He's also applauding the Philippines' on their staging of
the conference.
Trump says he enjoyed the event's opening dinner and says, "We very much appreciated the great treatment you've given."
Duterte has come under fierce criticism from human rights
groups for overseeing a violent drug war complete with extrajudicial
killings.
Trump has previously praised Duterte's handling of his nation's drug problems.
Trump did not respond to shouted questions about whether
he'd raise the issue. Duterte says their bilateral meeting is not a
press conference.
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11:50 a.m.
President Donald Trump says he'll be delivering a "major
statement" Wednesday when he's back in Washington to discuss what he's
accomplished on his big Asia trip.
Trump says during a meeting with Japan's Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe and Malcolm Turnbull, the prime minister of Australia that
"it will be a very complete statement as to trade, as to North Korea, as
to a lot of other things."
He says, "We've made some very big steps with regard to
trade_far bigger than anything you know," in addition to business deals
forged between U.S. and foreign companies.
"Except us," Turnbull chimed in.
Trump says the three leaders will be talking about North Korea, trade and other subjects.
He says he'll wait to Wednesday to give the reporters traveling with him time to sleep.
Trump will also be having an informal dinner later Monday with Turnbull.
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9:00 a.m. Monday
President Donald Trump is winding down his lengthy Asia
trip with trio of meetings with Pacific Rim allies, including his host
in the Philippines who is overseeing a bloody drug war.
Trump on Monday attended the opening ceremonies of the
Association for Southeast Asian Nations conference in Manila. The event
opened with pageantry, including a group photo of the leaders and the
summit's traditional handshake. That cross-body shake, during which each
leader shakes the opposite hands of those next to him, briefly baffled
Trump, who then laughed as he figured out where to place his arms.
One of the leaders on his flank was Philippine President
Rodrigo Duterte, who has overseen a bloody drug war that has featured
extrajudicial killings. Trump also is scheduled to meet with Australian
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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4:05 a.m. Monday
A day after being criticized by President Donald Trump, a
former CIA director questioned whether Russian President Vladimir Putin
was manipulating Trump with flattery during the president's lengthy
trip to Asia.
Trump's trip is meant to be centered on trade and North
Korea, and on Monday he is set to talk with Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte (doo-TEHR'-tay). But Trump remains dogged by things he has
said, and not said, about Russia.
John Brennan said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union"
that Trump is trying to "delegitimize" the U.S. intelligence community's
assessment that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election to
help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Brennan says Putin is "very clever in terms of playing to
Mr. Trump's interest in being flattered." He says it demonstrates that
Trump "can be played by foreign leaders."
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12:25 a.m.
President Donald Trump's lengthy Asia trip is winding
down as it began, with a visit meant to be centered on trade and North
Korea shadowed by questions about Russia.
Trump was in the Philippines on Monday and remains dogged by things he has said, and has not said, about Russia.
On Saturday, he dismissed the former U.S. intelligence
officials who said Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential elections as
"political hacks."
On Sunday, he tried to have it both ways, saying he
believes both the U.S. intelligence agencies when they say Russia
meddled and Russian President Vladimir Putin's sincerity in claiming
that his country did not.
Former CIA director John Brennan said Sunday on CNN's
"State of the Union" that Trump is trying to "delegitimize" the
intelligence community's assessment.
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8:10 p.m. Sunday
President Donald Trump is attending a gala in the
Philippines celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (doo-TEHR'-tay)
greeted Trump and other leaders one by one as they arrived at a
convention center in Manila for the glitzy event.
Trump and Duterte shook hands twice and exchanged
pleasantries before the leaders posed for a group photo and everyone
filed into dinner.
Trump joined his fellow leaders in wearing Philippine formal attire — the Barong Tagalog, or long-sleeved white shirt.
Duterte sat to Trump's left at dinner and they engaged in conversation before the first course was served.
Trump and Duterte will hold more formal talks on Monday
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5:50 p.m.
President Donald Trump has arrived in the Philippines to
attend a pair of international summits and close his five-country tour
of Asia.
Trump is slated to meet several times with Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte (doo-TEHR'-tay). Duterte has come under
intense criticism from human rights advocates for overseeing a violent
drug crackdown that includes extrajudicial killings. Trump has
previously praised Duterte's handling of his nation's drug problems.
Trump was originally scheduled to depart Manila on Monday
but he added a day to the visit so he could more fully participate in
one of the summits.
He arrived in Manila on Sunday after a brief stop in Vietnam.
Trump also visited Japan, South Korea and China.
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4:20 p.m.
Questions about Russian meddling in the 2016 election have followed President Donald Trump to Asia.
Trump said during a news conference Sunday in Vietnam
that he believes U.S. intelligence agencies, which have concluded Russia
interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to help him win.
But Trump also says he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin when Putin claims his country did no such thing.
Trump's comments came shortly before he took off for the Philippines, the final stop of his five-country Asia trip.
Trump is slated to attend a pair of international summits and meet with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte has come under fierce criticism from human rights
groups for overseeing a violent drug war complete with extrajudicial
killings.
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