White House defends Trump invitation to Duterte despite human rights criticismWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Sunday defended President Donald Trump’s decision to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to Washington, saying his cooperation was needed to counter North Korea, even as the administration faced human rights criticism for its overture to Manila. Trump issued the invitation on Saturday night in what the White House said was a “very friendly” phone conversation with Duterte, who is accused by international human rights groups of supporting a campaign of extrajudicial killings of drug suspects in the Philippines. “There is nothing right now facing this country and facing the region that is a bigger threat than what’s happening in North Korea,”  White House chief of staff Reince Priebus told ABC’s “This Week” during a weekend in which Trump sought to firm up support in Southeast Asia to help rein in North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. North Korea suggested on Monday it would continue its nuclear weapons tests, saying it will bolster its force “to the maximum” in a “consecutive and successive way at any moment” in the face of what it calls U.S. aggression and hysteria. Priebus insisted the outreach to Duterte “doesn’t mean that human rights don’t matter, but what it does mean is that the issues facing us developing out of North Korea are so serious that we need cooperation at some level with as many partners in the area as we can get to make sure we have our ducks in a row.” Since he came to power last year, Duterte has often sniped at Washington, his country’s longtime ally, has sought to mend relations with China and spoken of improving ties with Russia. Asked on Monday about his invitation from Trump, he was non-committal, telling reporters: “I’m tied up. “I cannot make any definite promise. I am supposed to go to Russia and go to Israel,” he said, referring to already scheduled visits. Foreign Ministry spokesman Robespierre Bolivar said that once a formal letter of invitation came it would be accepted.  The  invitation for Duterte to the visit White House at an unspecified date appeared to be the latest example of the affinity Trump has shown for some foreign leaders with shaky human rights or autocratic reputations. For instance, he expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 2016 presidential campaign, hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the White House and has had warm words for Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom Trump is pressing to do more to rein in its ally and neighbor, North Korea. On Sunday, Trump also extended a White House invitation to Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former general who heads a military government that took power in a 2014 coup. Prayuth’s administration had strained relations with Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama. “Celebrating a man who boasts of killing his own citizens and inviting him to the White House, while remaining silent on his disgusting human rights record, sends a terrifying message,” said John Sifton, the Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “By effectively endorsing Duterte’s murderous ‘war on drugs’, Trump has made himself morally complicit in future killings,” he said. A Trump administration official insisted, however, that the invitation was not a reward to Duterte or an endorsement of his policies but a decision that engagement with the Philippines was better than withdrawal which could “intensify bad behavior” by Duterte. “It’s not a ‘thank you’,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It’s a meeting.” The official denied a New York Times report citing administration officials saying the State Department and the National Security Council were caught off-guard by the invitation to Duterte and were expected to object internally. “We were not surprised. The guys who prepared for the call were unified on this,” the official said. Priebus made clear that North Korea was the top priority. “If we don’t have all of our folks together — whether they’re good folks, bad folks, people we wish would do better in their country, doesn’t matter, we’ve got to be on the same page” on North Korea, Priebus said. But taking a swipe at Trump for his invitation to Duterte,  Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Murphy tweeted: “We are watching in real time as the American human rights bully pulpit disintegrates into ash.” Thousands of Filipinos have been killed since Duterte unleashed his fierce anti-drugs campaign nearly 10 months ago. Police say they have killed only in self-defense, and the deaths of other drug dealers and users was down to vigilantes or narcotics gangs silencing potential witnesses. Human rights groups say official accounts are implausible and accuse Duterte of backing campaign of systematic extrajudicial killings by police. The government denies that. Duterte was infuriated by the Obama administration’s expressions of concern about extrajudicial killings after he took office last year and threatened to sever the long-standing U.S. defense alliance. Duterte spoke positively about Trump, a fellow populist, after the U.S. presidential election in November, and the new administration has sought ways to mend the alliance. In a summary of Saturday’s phone call between the two leaders, the White House said the two 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.” The White House statement included no criticism of Duterte’s methods. politicsNews
white house defends trump invitation duterte despite human rights criticismwashington reuters the white house sunday defended president donald trump decision invite philippine president rodrigo duterte washington saying cooperation needed counter north korea even administration faced human rights criticism overture manila trump issued invitation saturday night white house said friendly phone conversation duterte accused international human rights groups supporting campaign extrajudicial killings drug suspects philippines there nothing right facing country facing region bigger threat happening north korea white house chief staff rence priests told abc this week weekend trump sought firm support southeast asia help rein north korea nuclear missile programs north korea suggested monday would continue nuclear weapons tests saying bolster force maximum consecutive successive way moment face calls aggression hysteria priests insisted outreach duterte mean human rights matter mean issues facing us developing north korea serious need cooperation level many partners area get make sure ducks since came power last year duterte often sniper washington country longtime ally sought mend relations china spoken improving ties russia asked monday invitation trump telling reporters i tied i make definite promise i supposed go russia go israel said referring already scheduled visits foreign ministry spokesman robespierre oliver said formal letter invitation came would accepted the invitation duterte visit white house unspecified date appeared latest example affinity trump shown foreign leaders shaky human rights autocratic reputations for instance expressed admiration russian president vladimir putin presidential campaign hosted egyptian president abdul faith white house warm words chinese president xi winning trump pressing rein ally neighbor north korea on sunday trump also extended white house invitation thai prime minister prayuth former general heads military government took power coup prayuth administration strained relations trump predecessor barack obama celebrating man boasts killing citizens inviting white house remaining silent disgusting human rights record sends terrifying message said john piston asia director human rights watch by effectively endorsing duterte murderous war drugs trump made morally complicity future killings said a trump administration official insisted however invitation reward duterte endorsement policies decision engagement philippines better withdrawal could intensify bad behavior duterte it thank official said speaking condition anonymity it the official denied new york times report citing administration officials saying state department national security council caught invitation duterte expected object internally we surprised the guys prepared call unified official said priests made clear north korea top priority if folks together whether good folks bad folks people wish would better country matter got page north korea priests said but taking swine trump invitation duterte democratic senator chris murphy tweeted we watching real time american human rights bully pulpit disintegrated thousands filipino killed since duterte unleashed fierce campaign nearly months ago police say killed deaths drug dealers users vigilantes narcotics gangs silencing potential witnesses human rights groups say official accounts implausible accuse duterte backing campaign systematic extrajudicial killings police the government denies duterte infuriated obama administration expressions concern extrajudicial killings took office last year threatened sever defense alliance duterte spoke positively trump fellow populist presidential election november new administration sought ways mend alliance in summary saturday phone call two leaders white house said two discussed fact philippine government fighting hard rid country drugs score affects many countries throughout the white house statement included criticism duterte methods politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: White House defends Trump invitation to Duterte despite human rights criticismWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Sunday defended President Donald Trump’s decision to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to Washington, saying his cooperation was needed to counter North Korea, even as the administration faced human rights criticism for its overture to Manila. Trump issued the invitation on Saturday night in what the White House said was a “very friendly” phone conversation with Duterte, who is accused by international human rights groups of supporting a campaign of extrajudicial killings of drug suspects in the Philippines. “There is nothing right now facing this country and facing the region that is a bigger threat than what’s happening in North Korea,”  White House chief of staff Reince Priebus told ABC’s “This Week” during a weekend in which Trump sought to firm up support in Southeast Asia to help rein in North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. North Korea suggested on Monday it would continue its nuclear weapons tests, saying it will bolster its force “to the maximum” in a “consecutive and successive way at any moment” in the face of what it calls U.S. aggression and hysteria. Priebus insisted the outreach to Duterte “doesn’t mean that human rights don’t matter, but what it does mean is that the issues facing us developing out of North Korea are so serious that we need cooperation at some level with as many partners in the area as we can get to make sure we have our ducks in a row.” Since he came to power last year, Duterte has often sniped at Washington, his country’s longtime ally, has sought to mend relations with China and spoken of improving ties with Russia. Asked on Monday about his invitation from Trump, he was non-committal, telling reporters: “I’m tied up. “I cannot make any definite promise. I am supposed to go to Russia and go to Israel,” he said, referring to already scheduled visits. Foreign Ministry spokesman Robespierre Bolivar said that once a formal letter of invitation came it would be accepted.  The  invitation for Duterte to the visit White House at an unspecified date appeared to be the latest example of the affinity Trump has shown for some foreign leaders with shaky human rights or autocratic reputations. For instance, he expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 2016 presidential campaign, hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the White House and has had warm words for Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom Trump is pressing to do more to rein in its ally and neighbor, North Korea. On Sunday, Trump also extended a White House invitation to Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former general who heads a military government that took power in a 2014 coup. Prayuth’s administration had strained relations with Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama. “Celebrating a man who boasts of killing his own citizens and inviting him to the White House, while remaining silent on his disgusting human rights record, sends a terrifying message,” said John Sifton, the Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “By effectively endorsing Duterte’s murderous ‘war on drugs’, Trump has made himself morally complicit in future killings,” he said. A Trump administration official insisted, however, that the invitation was not a reward to Duterte or an endorsement of his policies but a decision that engagement with the Philippines was better than withdrawal which could “intensify bad behavior” by Duterte. “It’s not a ‘thank you’,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It’s a meeting.” The official denied a New York Times report citing administration officials saying the State Department and the National Security Council were caught off-guard by the invitation to Duterte and were expected to object internally. “We were not surprised. The guys who prepared for the call were unified on this,” the official said. Priebus made clear that North Korea was the top priority. “If we don’t have all of our folks together — whether they’re good folks, bad folks, people we wish would do better in their country, doesn’t matter, we’ve got to be on the same page” on North Korea, Priebus said. But taking a swipe at Trump for his invitation to Duterte,  Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Murphy tweeted: “We are watching in real time as the American human rights bully pulpit disintegrates into ash.” Thousands of Filipinos have been killed since Duterte unleashed his fierce anti-drugs campaign nearly 10 months ago. Police say they have killed only in self-defense, and the deaths of other drug dealers and users was down to vigilantes or narcotics gangs silencing potential witnesses. Human rights groups say official accounts are implausible and accuse Duterte of backing campaign of systematic extrajudicial killings by police. The government denies that. Duterte was infuriated by the Obama administration’s expressions of concern about extrajudicial killings after he took office last year and threatened to sever the long-standing U.S. defense alliance. Duterte spoke positively about Trump, a fellow populist, after the U.S. presidential election in November, and the new administration has sought ways to mend the alliance. In a summary of Saturday’s phone call between the two leaders, the White House said the two 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.” The White House statement included no criticism of Duterte’s methods. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: white house defends trump invitation duterte despite human rights criticismwashington reuters the white house sunday defended president donald trump decision invite philippine president rodrigo duterte washington saying cooperation needed counter north korea even administration faced human rights criticism overture manila trump issued invitation saturday night white house said friendly phone conversation duterte accused international human rights groups supporting campaign extrajudicial killings drug suspects philippines there nothing right facing country facing region bigger threat happening north korea white house chief staff rence priests told abc this week weekend trump sought firm support southeast asia help rein north korea nuclear missile programs north korea suggested monday would continue nuclear weapons tests saying bolster force maximum consecutive successive way moment face calls aggression hysteria priests insisted outreach duterte mean human rights matter mean issues facing us developing north korea serious need cooperation level many partners area get make sure ducks since came power last year duterte often sniper washington country longtime ally sought mend relations china spoken improving ties russia asked monday invitation trump telling reporters i tied i make definite promise i supposed go russia go israel said referring already scheduled visits foreign ministry spokesman robespierre oliver said formal letter invitation came would accepted the invitation duterte visit white house unspecified date appeared latest example affinity trump shown foreign leaders shaky human rights autocratic reputations for instance expressed admiration russian president vladimir putin presidential campaign hosted egyptian president abdul faith white house warm words chinese president xi winning trump pressing rein ally neighbor north korea on sunday trump also extended white house invitation thai prime minister prayuth former general heads military government took power coup prayuth administration strained relations trump predecessor barack obama celebrating man boasts killing citizens inviting white house remaining silent disgusting human rights record sends terrifying message said john piston asia director human rights watch by effectively endorsing duterte murderous war drugs trump made morally complicity future killings said a trump administration official insisted however invitation reward duterte endorsement policies decision engagement philippines better withdrawal could intensify bad behavior duterte it thank official said speaking condition anonymity it the official denied new york times report citing administration officials saying state department national security council caught invitation duterte expected object internally we surprised the guys prepared call unified official said priests made clear north korea top priority if folks together whether good folks bad folks people wish would better country matter got page north korea priests said but taking swine trump invitation duterte democratic senator chris murphy tweeted we watching real time american human rights bully pulpit disintegrated thousands filipino killed since duterte unleashed fierce campaign nearly months ago police say killed deaths drug dealers users vigilantes narcotics gangs silencing potential witnesses human rights groups say official accounts implausible accuse duterte backing campaign systematic extrajudicial killings police the government denies duterte infuriated obama administration expressions concern extrajudicial killings took office last year threatened sever defense alliance duterte spoke positively trump fellow populist presidential election november new administration sought ways mend alliance in summary saturday phone call two leaders white house said two discussed fact philippine government fighting hard rid country drugs score affects many countries throughout the white house statement included criticism duterte methods politicsnews