Asia Minute: President Trump Invites Philippine President Duterte to White House

Last week, the American Medical Association said the Republican protections “may be illusory” and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network expressed concern the plan could return the U.S.to a “patchwork system” that drives up insurance costs for the sick.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer talks to the media during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, April 10, 2017. “If he comes to the White House that’s fine”. “I’ve realigned myself to your ideological flow”, he said at the time. It remains to be seen if the status quo will prevail, or if Trump’s attempts strengthen personal ties with the (sometimes literally) gunslinging Duterte bear fruit in US efforts to rein in the even more concerning and heavily armed Kim Jong-un of North Korea.

“The ambit of the conversation between the two leaders includes the expression of commitment of US President Trump to the PH-US alliance and his interest in developing a warm, working relationship with President Duterte”, Abella said.

“President Trump weakens American values when he fails to stand up for human rights”, Senator Chris Coons of DE, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement Monday.

“Coverage of pre-existing conditions is at the core” of the current House GOP proposal, Spicer said.

Trump added the measure has a “clause that guarantees” that people with pre-existing conditions will be covered.

In an interview on Monday in Davao City, Mr. Duterte said he has not yet fully accepted Mr. Trump’s invitation because he is “tied up”. Spicer, however, clarified that such an invitation could only come if circumstances change in North Korea.

“If it would be appropriate for me to meet with him, I would absolutely, I would be honored to do it”, Trump said.

North Korea is known to be one of the world’s worst human rights violators, holding an estimated 80,000 to 120,000 political prisoners in large prison camps, according to a 2014 report by a United Nations commission of inquiry.

The president indicated the additional money would be directed toward highway construction and fix. “And so that set aside, I think the president recognizes the threat that he posed and is doing everything he can to isolate that threat and to make sure we bring stability to the region”.

And Ivanka Trump used to be the poster girl for the project – a billboard with her likeness on it was used to market the $150 million building, described on the Trump Organization’s website as an “illustrious skyscraper (that) is already being recognized for its breathtaking architecture, exquisite design, ultra-exclusive amenities and unparalleled standards of luxury – attributes uniquely synonymous with the Trump brand name”.

Trump sent a unsafe signal Saturday when he invited the murderous president of the Philippines to the White House.

Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte makes a speech during the Philippines-China Trade and Investment Forum at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 20, 2016. Yet, so far at least, Trump has willingly turned a blind eye to dictators’ records of brutality and oppression in hopes that those leaders might become his partners in isolating North Korea or fighting terrorism. But while that might be an unfortunate necessity in regards to outreach to China – no slouch in the human rights violations department itself – the Philippines is hardly a power broker on the world stage. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.