Trump to Hit Colombia With Tariffs, Calls Petro ‘Drug Leader’

Oct. 20, 2025, 12:14 AM UTC

Donald Trump accused Colombian President Gustavo Petro of being an “illegal drug leader,” saying the US will halt all aid to the country and impose fresh tariffs in a dramatic escalation of tensions with one of Washington’s closest security partners in Latin America.

Trump claimed drug trafficking “has become the biggest business in Colombia” and said Petro “does nothing to stop it” despite years of US funding. “AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS... WILL NO LONGER BE MADE,” the US president wrote Sunday on social media.

The announcement follows Trump’s September decision to “decertify” Colombia as a partner in fighting narcotics, ...

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