The Manila Mail reports:
This year’s Independence Day celebration on June 12 will be held at the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC, a go-to establishment favored by foreign delegations from Brazil to Turkey and lobbyists seeking to build ties with the Trump administration.
No doubt this is all thanks to our new Ambassador Jose Manuel ‘Babe’ Romualdez. He assumed his post less than five months ago and has “hit the ground running.” Since President Trump was sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2017 the hotel has emerged as a Mecca for those seeking to rub elbows with administration insiders.
Newsweek reports:
Trump has struck up a cordial correspondence with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, whose relationship with the U.S. leader’s predecessor was largely defined by insults and slurs. Trump has also expressed his interest in a potential trade deal with the Philippines, which celebrates its 120th year of independence from Spanish rule on June 12.
“We consider the Trump International Hotel to be a fitting venue for celebrating this special milestone. We note that several other Embassies successfully held their National Day events in the hotel,” the Philippine embassy told Newsweek in a statement.
Why is the Philippines paying the president’s company? Because that’s how you do things in Trump’s administration. “We note that several other Embassies successfully held their National Day events in the hotel,” the Philippine embassy said in a statement. https://t.co/F0coxWiW4M
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) April 20, 2018
Philippines set to host a party at the Trump hotel as the U.S. mulls trade deal https://t.co/TkmFhsjsyD pic.twitter.com/3J89sGHjgb
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) April 20, 2018