President Donald Trump took swift action to halt foreign aid to Colombia after President Gustavo Petro criticized U.S. strikes on drug-trafficking boats. In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump accused Petro of facilitating the illegal drug trade in Colombia and announced that U.S. aid would stop immediately.
“President Gustavo Petro, of Colombia, is an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs, in big and small fields, all over Colombia,” Trump wrote, condemning the Colombian president’s failure to curb the country's drug trade. Trump also claimed that despite large-scale U.S. payments and subsidies to Colombia, Petro has done little to stop the widespread drug production, calling it "a long-term rip-off of America."
The controversy stems from a September U.S. military strike on a boat suspected of trafficking drugs to the U.S., an operation that Petro publicly condemned. In his post, Trump argued that the U.S. was justified in its actions, stating that the drug trade from Colombia "causes death, destruction, and havoc" in the U.S., and he demanded that Petro "close up these killing fields immediately." Trump further warned, “If he doesn’t, the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.”
The decision to end U.S. financial support for Colombia follows criticism from various quarters, including Democrats and Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who opposed the strikes on grounds of sovereignty. Despite such criticism, the Senate blocked an attempt to halt the operations earlier this month, and U.S. military strikes against drug traffickers continue.
Trump’s sharp words come after a series of U.S. military actions targeting drug traffickers at sea, including strikes on boats linked to Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN) and Venezuelan criminal organizations like the Tren de Aragua gang. These moves are part of a broader strategy by Trump to combat the drug trade in the Western Hemisphere, which he has repeatedly labeled a direct threat to U.S. security.
In addition to halting aid to Colombia, Trump has taken aggressive steps against Mexican cartels and gangs like MS-13, designating them as foreign terrorist organizations early in his presidency. As the U.S. ramps up its anti-drug efforts, it’s clear that Trump intends to hold countries like Colombia accountable for their role in the ongoing drug crisis.
