President Donald Trump unleashed a sharp critique of Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Sunday morning, labeling him an "illegal drug dealer" in a bold public statement.
As reported by Breitbart, Trump accused Petro of actively promoting drug production across Colombia and declared an immediate end to all U.S. payments and subsidies to the country.
This move, announced via Truth Social, signals a hardline stance against what Trump described as a deliberate push to flood the United States with deadly narcotics.
Trump's post pulled no punches, claiming Petro has turned drug production into Colombia's largest industry while doing little to curb it. He pointed to substantial U.S. financial support as a wasteful handout that only enables this crisis.
Petro's apparent inaction, according to Trump, is a direct affront to American interests, with the president asserting that these drugs cause "death, destruction, and havoc" on U.S. soil. It's high time, he suggests, that American taxpayers stop footing the bill for a nation unwilling to tackle its own problems.
"AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA," Trump declared in his statement. Such a decisive cut-off sends a clear message: no more blank checks for leaders who turn a blind eye to trafficking.
Trump didn't stop at financial measures; he issued a stern warning to Petro about the so-called "killing fields" of drug production in Colombia. He threatened direct U.S. intervention if Petro fails to act swiftly, promising it won't be a gentle process.
Just a day prior, on Saturday, Trump revealed his administration had already targeted narcoterrorists, including individuals from Colombia and Ecuador, in a maritime strike. The operation intercepted a vessel loaded with fentanyl and other drugs, potent enough to kill 25,000 Americans, by his estimate.
Video of the strike accompanied Trump's Truth Social update, where he noted two of the four terrorists aboard were killed, while the survivors were sent back to their home countries for prosecution. This action underscores a zero-tolerance policy for drug trafficking by any route.
Colombian authorities, through Petro, confirmed the returned suspect would face legal consequences, with Petro stating, "We are glad he is alive and he will be prosecuted according to the law," as reported by AFP. While this nod to accountability might seem like a step forward, it hardly addresses the broader scourge Trump highlighted.
The scale of the drug flow into the U.S., as evidenced by the intercepted shipment, raises questions about whether Petro's government is truly committed to dismantling these networks. A single prosecution feels like a drop in the bucket when entire fields are allegedly dedicated to this deadly trade.
Trump's broader pledge to "not tolerate narcoterrorists trafficking illegal drugs, by land or by sea," suggests this is just the beginning of a tougher approach. His administration seems poised to keep the pressure on, regardless of diplomatic niceties.
The fallout from Trump's declarations and actions could reshape U.S.-Colombia relations, particularly on security and aid fronts. Cutting subsidies is a loud signal that enabling drug trafficking will come at a steep cost, no matter the political rhetoric from Bogota.
Petro, already described as unpopular and outspoken against American interests by Trump, faces a stark choice: confront the drug crisis head-on or risk further isolation. The ball is in his court, but the clock is ticking with little patience on the U.S. side.
For now, Trump's focus remains on protecting American lives from the ravages of imported narcotics, a mission that clearly overrides any hesitation about ruffling international feathers. If Petro thought he could coast on subsidies while drugs pour across borders, he's just been served a rude awakening.
