The president of the United States, Donald Trump, attacked Gustavo Petro this Wednesday during an event at the White House, calling him a “thug” and “bad guy,” and announced the immediate suspension of financial aid to Colombia.
Trump’s statements were made at the White House, in the presence of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, during a meeting on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. However, the US president took the opportunity to affirm that Colombia is home to cocaine factories whose shipments, according to him, arrive to the United States through Mexico. Trump warned that, if drug production and trafficking from Colombia continues, his administration could take very severe measures against Petro and his country.
Trump is very clear about it, he understands that he must bust the producer and the distributor. https://t.co/YyikUK4r7x
— Dario Atencio (@Dario6619) October 22, 2025
The diplomatic conflict has intensified in recent weeks. On October 20, the Colombian Government called its ambassador in Washington, Daniel García Peña, for consultations, this being the second time in six months that a measure of this type has been taken.
Trump defended his recent operations against vessels in the Caribbean, claiming that the destroyed ships were transporting drugs, and held Colombia responsible for the production of cocaine that reaches the United States, insisting that Colombian authorities must “be careful” to avoid more severe actions.
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For his part, Gustavo Petro responded to the accusations through his social networks, announcing that he will defend himself judicially in US courts against what he described as slander. In addition, he blamed the United States for cocaine consumption, arguing that it has fueled decades of violence in the country and in Latin America.
According to Petro, consumption in the United States and Europe has been responsible for more than 300,000 murders in Colombia and one million deaths in the region, while North American efforts to combat this problem have been insufficient.
The bilateral tension also includes economic measures: the Trump administration would evaluate imposing new tariffs on Colombia, added to those that have existed since April 2025, when a 10% tax was established as part of reciprocal tariffs.
This episode marks a critical point in relations between the United States and Colombia, and increases uncertainty about cooperation on security and drug trafficking issues in the country.