Trump doubles down on Colombia crackdown, threatens to cut all funding

President Donald Trump on Sunday stepped up his criticism of Colombia, calling far-left President Gustavo Petro a “madman” and the “worst president they’ve ever had” while reiterating his promise to cut off all funding to the Latin American country over its cocaine production.

Trump’s inflammatory comments came as he spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One. The president said he would stop all payments to Colombia because the country produced drugs instead of fighting them.

“They make drugs, they refine drugs, they make cocaine, they have cocaine factories,” Trump said. “They don’t have a fight against drugs, and I’m stopping all payments to Colombia because they have nothing to do with their fight against drugs.”

The president’s rhetoric marked a sharper, more personal attack on Petro, whom he had previously accused of being a “illegal drug leader“and “promote the massive production of narcotics” across the country.

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Trump said he would announce new tariffs on Monday, confirming an X post by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who wrote: “President Trump…has informed me that he will hit Colombia, not just its drug dealers and traffickers, but where it hurts, namely in the wallet. He will be imposing major tariffs on the country of Colombia today or tomorrow.” announce.”

In a Truth Social post earlier Sunday, Trump warned that Petro “better shut down the drug operations or the United States will shut them down for him, and that won’t be done pretty.”

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Trump said that Petro had “a fresh mouth toward America.” He complained that drug smuggling continues “despite extensive payments and subsidies from the United States, which represent nothing more than a long-term rip-off of America.”

“As of today, these payments or other forms of payments or subsidies will no longer be made to Colombia,” he added.

The heated words come amid escalating tensions between Washington and one of its closest Latin American allies.

Petro responded to X, saying that Trump’s claims would distort Colombia’s record.

“Trying to promote peace in Colombia is not drug trafficking,” Petro wrote. He suggested that Trump was being misled by his advisers, described himself as the “main enemy” of drugs in his country and said Trump was “rude and ignorant of Colombia.”

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The Colombian Foreign Ministry accused Trump of endangering the country’s sovereignty and described his comments as an “illegal intervention.” Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez added that the armed forces “also lost men and women in the fight against drug trafficking.”

Trump’s latest broadside against Petro raises the possibility of a worsening conflict in Latin America, where the US has already increased pressure on neighboring Venezuela and its leader Nicolás Maduro.

U.S. forces have stepped up counternarcotics operations across the Caribbean, deploying ships and surveillance aircraft as part of a broader crackdown on drug smuggling networks. Trump also authorized covert operations inside Venezuela.

Unlike Venezuela, Colombia remains Washington’s top regional aid recipient, although funding has fallen to about $230 million this year – well below previous peaks of over $700 million, U.S. budget data show. Further cuts could harm military cooperation and undermine efforts to combat rebel groups.

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But coca cultivation hit an all-time high last year, according to the United Nations, and renewed violence broke out in rural areas where the government fought insurgents for years before reaching a peace deal a decade ago.

In September, the Trump administration accused Colombia of failing to cooperate in the drug war, despite Washington’s sanctions relief that would have led to aid cuts.

Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president, has repeatedly clashed with Trump this year. Petro initially opposed U.S. military flights of deported migrants, prompting Trump to threaten tariffs. The State Department said it would revoke Petro’s visa as he attended the U.N. General Assembly in New York because he told American soldiers not to obey Trump’s orders.

Petro and Trump also disagreed over American attacks on boats in the Caribbean. Colombia’s president has blamed the U.S. for civilian casualties in maritime drug attacks and claimed a recent attack killed a Colombian fisherman who he said had no connection to the drug trade.

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There have been seven U.S. strikes in the region since early September, which the government said targeted suspected drug traffickers. At least 32 people were killed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.