It was potentially two gaffes for the price of one on President Donald Trump's call with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte last month.

First, Trump praised Duterte for his deadly and controversial war on drugs in remarks that stunned White House aids and human rights experts. In a private call on April 29, Trump praised Duterte for doing an "unbelievable job on the drug problem" in his country, referring to Duterte's violent anti-drug campaign that led to the deaths of nearly 9000 people, many gunned down on the streets.

"I just wanted to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug program," Trump told Duterte, according to a transcript of the call obtained by the Washington Post.

Trump's praise of Duterte sparked immediate outrage in human rights circles. "To endorse Duterte is to endorse a man who advocates mass murder and who has admitted to killing people himself," John Sifton of Human Rights Watch told The Intercept. "Endorsing his methods is a celebration of the death of the poor and vulnerable."