U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media as he arrives at Palm Seaside Worldwide Airport, in West Palm Seaside, Florida, U.S., Oct. 17, 2025.
Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters
President Donald Trump stated Sunday he would slash U.S. funding to Colombia as a result of the nation’s chief “does nothing to cease” drug manufacturing, in what’s the newest signal of friction between Washington and one among its closest allies in Latin America.
In a social media submit, Trump referred to Colombian President Gustavo Petro as “an unlawful drug seller” who’s “low rated and really unpopular.” He warned that Petro “higher shut up” drug operations “or the USA will shut them up for him, and it will not be performed properly.”
Trump, whereas at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, wrote on his Fact Social platform that Petro is “strongly encouraging the large manufacturing of medication, in huge and small fields” throughout Colombia, which the Republican president spelled as Columbia. “Petro does nothing to cease it, regardless of giant scale funds and subsidies from the USA which can be nothing greater than a long run rip off of America,” Trump stated.
“AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLUMBIA,” Trump stated. He additionally stated Petro had “a contemporary mouth towards America.”
Earlier Sunday, Petro accused the U.S. authorities of assassination and demanded solutions after the most recent American strike in Caribbean waters. The U.S. stated on Saturday it was repatriating to Colombia and Ecuador two survivors from that assault, the sixth since early September. No less than 29 individuals have been killed in strikes that the U.S. has stated are concentrating on alleged drug traffickers.
In September, the Trump administration accused Colombia of failing to cooperate within the drug battle, though on the time Washington issued a waiver of sanctions that might have triggered support cuts. Colombia is the world’s largest exporter of cocaine, and the cultivation of the essential ingredient of coca leaves reached an all-time excessive final yr, in response to the United Nations.
Extra not too long ago, the State Division stated it might revoke Petro’s visa whereas he was in New York for the U.N. Normal Meeting due to his participation in a protest the place he known as on American troopers to cease following Trump’s instructions. “I ask all of the troopers of the USA’ military, do not level your rifles towards humanity” and “disobey the orders of Trump,” Petro stated.
Petro stated a Colombian man was killed in a Sept. 16 strike and recognized him as Alejandro Carranza, a fisherman from the coastal city of Santa Marta. He stated that Carranza has no ties to drug trafficking and that his boat was malfunctioning when it was hit.
“U.S. authorities officers have dedicated homicide and violated our sovereignty in territorial waters,” Petro wrote on X. “The Colombian boat was adrift and had a misery sign on, with one engine up. We await explanations from the US authorities.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro attends the International Gateway Discussion board in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 9, 2025.
Yves Herman | Reuters
Petro stated that he has alerted the legal professional normal’s workplace and demanded that it act instantly to provoke authorized proceedings internationally and in U.S. courts. He continued to submit a flurry of messages into early Sunday concerning the killing.
“The US has invaded our nationwide territory, fired a missile to kill a humble fisherman, and destroyed his household, his youngsters. That is Bolívar’s homeland, and they’re murdering his youngsters with bombs,” Petro wrote.
In the meantime, Noticias Caracol, a Colombian information program, reported that the person injured in the newest strike was hospitalized after he was repatriated and stays in severe situation.
It quoted Colombian Inside Minister Armando Benedetti as saying that the Colombian “will probably be prosecuted, he will probably be acquired—forgive the cruel expression—as a legal, as a result of thus far what is understood is that he was carrying a ship stuffed with cocaine, which in our nation is a criminal offense, and although it was in worldwide waters, his repatriation will probably be as if he had been being prosecuted in the USA.
