FACT CHECK: Dutertes not invited to Trump inauguration

Claim: US president-elect Donald Trump has invited Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte and her father, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, to his inauguration on January 20. 

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook post bearing the claim was posted on January 11 by the pro-Duterte Facebook page “DUTERTE Media,” which has over 400,000 followers. As of writing, the post has garnered 888 reactions, 112 comments, and 184 shares. 

The post says, “FPRRD at VP Sara, inimbitahan ng incoming US President Trump sa inauguration, hindi si President Marcos.”

([Former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte] and VP Sara were invited to the inauguration by incoming US President Trump, not President Marcos.)

An image in the post reads: “Atty. Trexie Cruz-Angeles (sic): Insider from DFA confirmed that VP Sara & FPPRD are invited in U.S. Pres. Trump inauguration. Wow!”

The facts: The Dutertes have not been invited to attend Trump’s inauguration. In a post on her Facebook page, Cruz-Angeles denied the claim, saying she did not make the statement attributed to her. 

Rappler has previously debunked a similar claim of a supposed invite to the US presidential inauguration.

Trump, who is set to return to the White House after beating his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris in the November 2024 elections, will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025.

In an unprecedented move, Trump invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and other world leaders to his inauguration. No head of state has been previously invited to the US presidential inauguration. According to reports, Xi is unlikely to attend but may send a high-level envoy in his place.

Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez will represent the Philippines. 

Trump and Duterte: Trump previously invited then-president Duterte to the White House in April 2017 following the Philippines’ hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings. The invitation was made during a phone call, where the two leaders also discussed regional security, the North Korea threat, and the Philippines’ war on drugs under the Duterte administration. 

Duterte was similarly invited to attend a “special summit” with Trump for ASEAN leaders in January 2020 but chose not to attend. He previously vowed never to come to the US after declining in 2017, saying “There will never be a time during my term when I will be going to America or thereafter.”

Following Trump’s 2024 presidential victory, Duterte congratulated the US leader, saying: “I hope your new mandate will bring renewed optimism and strength to the American people during these challenging times.”

Marcos and Trump: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also congratulated Trump on his successful bid for a White House comeback. In his first call with the US president-elect, Marcos expressed optimism for the Philippines’ continued strong ties with the US.

Marcos also shared that Trump asked about his mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos. 

There are concerns over what a second Trump administration would bring to US-Philippine ties amid rising tensions in the South China Sea and the impact of Trump’s immigration plans on Filipinos in the US. 

While expressing confidence over the future of military engagements between the Philippines and the US, the Philippines’ ambassador to the US also advised undocumented Filipinos to go home rather than face the risk of deportation. – Ramon Franco Verano/Rappler.com

Ramon Franco Verano is a graduate of Rappler’s volunteer program. He is a fourth year History student at the University of Santo Tomas. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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