President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday threatened to kick U.S. troops out of the Philippines. Duterte said he resents the presence of American troops on his soil and says Washington can “forget” an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with his country. If he remains president for more than one term, Duterte said, he would end all military deals with the U.S. because the Philippines is treated “like a dog with a leash.” He added, “I look forward to the time when I no longer see any military troops or soldiers in my country, except the Filipino soldiers.” Last week, Duterte called for the country’s “separation from the United States,” but other government leaders said he didn’t mean what he said. Duterte has insisted he didn’t start the fight with the U.S., blaming Ambassador Philip Goldberg for denouncing him during his presidential campaign. Duterte afterward called Goldberg a “gay son a bitch.”
