President Donald Trump just dropped a bombshell on Colombia, accusing their leader of running a narco-empire while slashing all American aid to the country, as New York Post reports.
This latest clash sees Trump terminating subsidies to Colombia and branding President Gustavo Petro as a key player in the illegal drug trade, following a string of military strikes and heated exchanges over drug trafficking in the Caribbean.
Tensions have been simmering for months, with Trump’s administration intensifying efforts to choke off drug routes into the U.S. through aggressive naval operations targeting vessels often linked to Venezuela and Colombia.
On Sunday, Trump took to Truth Social with a blistering critique, alleging Petro is complicit in rampant drug production across Colombia.
“President Gustavo Petro, of Columbia, is an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs, in big and small fields, all over Columbia,” Trump posted on Truth Social. Isn’t it rich to see a leader accused of turning his nation into a cartel hub while cashing U.S. checks?
Trump didn’t stop there, pointing out that the U.S. has shelled out over $207 million in aid to Colombia this year alone, per foreignassistance.gov data. That’s a hefty sum for a country he claims is flooding American streets with poison.
Trump’s ire comes amid a series of U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean, targeting what he calls drug boats, often tied to Venezuela, Colombia’s neighbor.
Back in August, his administration upped the ante by doubling the bounty on Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, accusing him of driving the narco-industry.
Just last Thursday, the sixth known strike hit another suspected drug vessel, with two survivors from Ecuador and Colombia set to be sent back home. These operations signal Trump’s no-nonsense stance, but at what cost to diplomacy?
The feud escalated after a September 15 incident in international waters, which Trump described as targeting “confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela,” while Petro cried foul.
“US government officials have committed a murder and violated our sovereignty in territorial waters,” Petro posted on X, per a translation, on Saturday. Talk about a diplomatic slap—calling out the U.S. for murder while ignoring the drug trafficking elephant in the room?
Petro insisted the Colombian boat in question was a fishing vessel, adrift with a distress signal due to engine failure, not a drug runner. A convenient story, perhaps, but one that’s tough to swallow given the region’s notorious trafficking reputation.
With Petro in power since 2022 as head of the left-wing Humane Colombia party, his policies have often clashed with U.S. priorities on drug enforcement. Trump’s decision to cut all subsidies feels like a long-overdue reckoning for a relationship that’s been more giveaway than partnership.
Last week, a CNN report added fuel to the fire, claiming one of Trump’s Caribbean strikes resulted in Colombian casualties, citing Pentagon sources. While tragic if true, it underscores the messy reality of cracking down on a trade that’s bled into every corner of the region.
Trump’s subsidy cutoff might sting Colombia’s economy, but it sends a clear message: America won’t bankroll nations that, in his view, enable the very scourge tearing at our borders. It’s a gamble, sure, but one that might finally force some accountability—or at least a serious conversation—on drug policy across the hemisphere.
