President Trump congratulated Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on his re-election, the White House said Monday, even though the State Department later noted “constraints on freedoms of expression” as the election neared.
Trump spoke with Sisi on the phone, during which the two leaders “affirmed the strategic partnership” between the U.S. and Egypt. The White House said Trump and Sisi “noted that they look forward to advancing this partnership and addressing common challenges.”
Sisi was was expected to win in a landslide, and was re-elected with 97 percent of the vote. Just one other candidate, a supporter of Sisi, ran against the Egyptian president.
Several of Sisi’s opponents in the race were arrested or prosecuted after vowing to run in the election, according to reports. Other challengers reportedly dropped out of the race due to intimidation.
Sisi led the 2013 military coup to oust Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically-elected president. During the 2014 election to replace Morsi, Sisi garnered 97 percent of the vote.
The White House’s readout of Trump’s phone call with Sisi struck a different tone than a statement from the State Department on the election.
Soon after the White House statement was released, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert referenced “noted reports of constraints on freedoms of expression and association in the run-up to the elections.”
“We will continue to encourage a broadening of opportunities for political participation for Egyptians, and emphasize the importance of the protection of human rights and the vital role of civil society in Egypt,” Nauert continued.
Trump came under fire recently for a congratulatory phone call he made to Russian President Vladimir Putin on his re-election. Putin won 75 percent of the vote, and the contest was largely dismissed as a charade.
