CNN’s Acosta fires back at Trump after insult: ‘If only he were this tough on Duterte’

“If only he were this tough on Duterte,” Jim Acosta, who has frequently sparred with Trump and other White House officials, tweeted, referencing the Philippine president. 

If only he were this tough on Duterte https://t.co/la3Dieus7s

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 15, 2017

CNN anchor Jake Tapper, who has been a vocal critic of the administration, also responded to Trump’s tweet, thanking the president for tuning in. 

Thanks for watching! https://t.co/v9kjV4mcjO

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 15, 2017

Trump’s tweet comes after he returned to Washington, D.C. after a 13-day trip to Asia. 

{mosads}The president’s last stop was in the Philippines, where he repeatedly praised President Rodrigo Duterte, who is the subject of criticism from human rights groups for his controversial war on drugs, which has left thousands of Filipinos dead. 

“We’ve had a great relationship,” Trump said of Duterte during a meeting in the country’s capital of Manila.