Trump Invites Philippines President Duterte To White House

President Trump invited the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, to visit him, the White House announced Saturday. The two leaders had "a friendly conversation" in which they "also discussed the fact that the Philippine government is fighting very hard to rid its country of drugs, a scourge that affects many countries throughout the world."

More than 7,000 people have been killed in the Philippines in a crackdown on drugs since June when Duterte took office. Almost one third of those people are said to have been killed in police operations.

Duterte was elected after 20 years as the mayor of Davao. He had run a campaign in which he promised to kill all of the country's drug dealers.

He was accused of being responsible for the execution of more than 1,000 dealers when he was mayor.

"If by chance that God will place me there, watch out because the 1,000 will become 100,000," he said, according to a Human Rights Watch report. "You will see the fish in Manila Bay getting fat. That is where I will dump you."

Weeks before his inauguration last June, he reiterated his threat.

"If you are still into drugs, I am going to kill you," he said. "Don't take this as a joke. I'm not trying to make you laugh. Sons of bitches, I’ll really kill you."

And, after he took office, he continued the tough talk.

"My order is shoot to kill you," he said in August. "I don't care about human rights, you better believe me."

This January, the country's national police suspended anti-drug operations after the details emerged of the kidnapping and strangulation of a South Korean businessman by rogue police officers. The country's senate ordered a hearing, which was ended by allies of the president.

The country then restarted the anti-drug operations.

The White House said Trump "enjoyed the conversation and said that he is looking forward to visiting the Philippines in November" and the alliance between the countries "is now heading in a very positive direction."

The two leaders also discussed the concerns posed by the threat of North Korea.

Pool photo via Getty Images News/Getty Images