Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

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Trump

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1753223205420520165708_1229290992579488_1382764024146590366_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and US President Donald Trump. Photo from PCO</span></span></span></div><p>WASHINGTON DC — US President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized the Philippines’ former administration during his meeting with incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the White House, where the American chief executive compared the previous and current leaders of Southeast Asia’s third largest economy.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/focus/10/24/16/us-warns-duterte-over-rhetoric-crime-war">US warns Duterte over rhetoric, crime war</a></div><p>Trump did not mention names, but he noted that the administration before Marcos Jr. “did not know what they were doing.”</p><p>“I think I can say that the last administration was not getting along with them too well. They didn’t get along with anybody,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.</p><p>“Honestly, they didn’t know what they’re doing,” he said.</p><p>Former President Rodrigo Duterte pivoted away Manila from its traditional alliance with Washington and forged closer ties with Beijing after American officials criticized the alleged human rights abuses during his administrations campaign against illegal drugs.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/03/01/18/duterte-elated-with-trumps-admiration-for-ph-drug-war">Duterte elated with Trump&#x27;s &#x27;admiration&#x27; for PH drug war</a></div><p>Duterte had also threatened to scrap the Philippines’ Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States after the US reportedly revoked the visa of Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa, a close ally of the Davaoeño leader and the chief implementer of the infamous war on drugs.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/01/23/20/duterte-threatens-to-end-visiting-forces-accord-with-us-over-batos-canceled-visa">Duterte threatens to end visiting forces accord with US over Bato’s canceled visa</a></div><p>In 2022, Marcos Jr. ran for the presidency with Duterte’s daughter — then Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte — as his vice president.</p><p>In 2024, their alliance started to show cracks, and in 2025, the Duterte patriarch was arrested and detained in the Hague to face the ICC, supposedly with the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/25/doj-confirms-cooperation-with-icc-offers-to-fly-drug-war-witnesses-to-the-hague-1447">cooperation</a> of the administration.</p><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABcudCfPAks_bozf"></script></div><div><strong>&#x27;GREAT FAMILY&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>After lambasting the Philippines’ previous administration, Trump proceeded to laud Marcos Jr. and described the incumbent as a “very respectable leader.”</p><p>“It’s a great honor to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines. Great family, great family legacy, and highly respected in his country,” Trump said.</p><p>“I know that because I have many friends in the Philippines. There’s great respect or I couldn’t say it, so congratulations,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/22/marcos-philippines-cannot-yield-waver-on-west-ph-sea-despite-resupply-deal-with-china-1202">Marcos: Philippines &#x27;cannot yield, waver&#x27; on West PH Sea despite resupply deal with China</a></div><p>Since ascending to power in 2022, Marcos Jr. has been actively calling out China’s incursions in waters that fall within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;FANTASTIC MILITARY TIES&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>“We have some fantastic military relationships with the Philippines and that has been reinstituted,” Trump said, referring to his first meeting with Marcos Jr.</p><p>“We’re going to be talking about trade. We’re going to be talking about war and peace. They’re a very important nation militarily, and we’ve had some great drills lately. We’re back with them,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/21/-shared-adversity-new-weapons-as-philippine-us-forces-launch-balikatan-1135">&#x27;Shared adversity&#x27;, new weapons as Philippine, US forces launch &#x27;Balikatan&#x27;</a></div><p>Meantime, Marcos Jr. thanked Trump, adding that the Philippine delegation is “very happy to be here to once again reaffirm the very strong ties.”</p><p>“We must remember that the United States is our only treaty partner in the Philippines, and that has stood us in good stead over the years, certainly through the Second World War,” he said.</p><p>“That is something that we value, that we are grateful for, and that we will continue to foster as we go on.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5gXF72Hx0NU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>After lambasting the Philippines’ previous administration, Trump proceeded to laud Marcos Jr. and described him as a “very respectable leader.”</p>

After lambasting the Philippines’ previous administration, Trump proceeded to laud Marcos Jr. and described him as a “very respectable leader.”

'They didn’t know what they’re doing': Trump hits previous PH admin, praises 'respectable' Marcos

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'They didn’t know what they’re doing': Trump hits previous PH admin, praises 'respectable' Marcos

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 23, 2025 06:34 AM PHT

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Updated Jul 23, 2025 08:48 AM PHT

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