Trump's election was symptomatic of an international trend toward populism and antiestablishment leadership. Rodrigo Duterte, who was elected President of the Philippines a few months before Trump, is not exactly a benevolent dealmaker. When Trump invited Duterte to visit the White House [1] on April 30, during a "very friendly conversation," both Republicans and Democrats expressed their concern — and for good reason.

Duterte ran his campaign promising to eradicate crime and target drug users as well as dealers. Since ascending to power, Duterte instigated what has come to be described as "death squads" or extrajudicial crime-fighters who have slaughtered more than 7,000 drug users and distributors [2] across the country. Perhaps more troubling is Duterte's defense of the killings. In a September speech after he secured the presidency, The Philippines leader said he might be too busy [3] to accept Trump's invitation. "I am tied up. I cannot make any definite promise," Duterte told reporters on May 1. "I am supposed to go to Russia, I am supposed to go to Israel."