Trump called Petro an “illegal drug leader” and “lunatic,” accusing him of turning Colombia into a “drug-manufacturing machine”

President Donald Trump has severed all U.S. financial aid to Colombia, branding President Gustavo Petro an “illegal drug leader” and “lunatic” who has turned the nation into a “drug-manufacturing machine.” The move, announced via Truth Social on Sunday and doubled down aboard Air Force One, threatens hundreds of millions in annual assistance and paves the way for crippling tariffs on Colombian exports, marking one of the starkest ruptures in decades between the U.S. and its staunchest Latin American ally.

Trump’s salvo comes amid a backdrop of mutual barbs over narcotics trafficking and U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean. “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 posted, accusing Petro of squandering “large-scale payments and subsidies from the USA” that amount to a “long-term rip-off of America.” He vowed: “As of today, these payments, or any other form of payment, or subsidies, will no longer be made to Colombia.” Later, en route from Florida, Trump warned Petro to “close up these killing fields immediately, or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.”

The aid package in question—roughly $377.5 million for 2025, focused on anti-narcotics and security—represents Colombia’s largest slice of U.S. foreign assistance in Latin America. Colombia, producer of about two-thirds of the world’s cocaine per UN estimates, has long been a linchpin in Washington’s war on drugs. But under Petro, a former guerrilla elected in 2022 as the country’s first leftist leader, the approach shifted toward “total peace” initiatives emphasizing social programs over aggressive eradication—a pivot Trump decries as enabling cartels.

Petro fired back swiftly on social media, rejecting the “offensive” label and positioning himself as “the main enemy” of drugs. “Trying to promote peace in Colombia is not being a drug trafficker,” he wrote, highlighting Colombia’s seizure of hundreds of tons of cocaine annually—outpacing U.S. interdictions—without resorting to lethal strikes. Colombia’s Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez echoed the sentiment, noting the nation’s “sacrifices” in lost lives battling traffickers and calling Trump’s rhetoric a slur on the entire country. The People’s Defender, Iris Marín, condemned the accusations as baseless stigmatization, per recent X posts amplifying official outrage.

The feud traces to recent U.S. naval operations. On Sunday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed strikes on a vessel tied to Colombia’s ELN rebel group, killing three alleged “terrorists” and seizing narcotics. Petro slammed these as potential “war crimes,” citing a September incident where a U.S. drone allegedly killed fisherman Alejandro Carranza, whom he described as an innocent with engine trouble—not a trafficker. This follows Trump’s revocation of Petro’s U.S. visa last month amid his vocal pro-Palestine stance and calls for American troops to “disobey” anti-drug orders.

Tariffs loom as the next blow. Trump endorsed Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham’s call for “major tariffs” to “hit Colombia where it hurts: in the pocket,” potentially hiking duties on coffee, flowers, and oil—key exports worth billions—to 50-70%. Colombia, designated a major non-NATO ally in 2022, now faces economic fallout that could spike U.S. consumer prices while straining Bogotá’s coca-fighting budget.

Reactions poured in on X, where #TrumpPetro trended globally. Colombian opposition figures like Sen. María Fernanda Cabal urged unity against Petro’s “fracturing” policies, insisting “Colombia is more than Petro.” Supporters hailed Trump as a defender of “America First,” with one user quipping, “Petro IS A LUNATIC… a narco communist threat.” Critics decried it as “imperial bullying,” warning of broader Latin fallout amid U.S. focus on Venezuela and fentanyl flows.

As Congress weighs in—Republicans signal backing, Democrats caution restraint—the rift risks unraveling a partnership forged in the 1980s against Pablo Escobar’s cartels. With Petro’s term ending in nine months, some Colombians see silver linings: “Trump attacks Petro, not Colombia,” one X user posted, eyeing a post-Petro thaw. Yet for now, the “war of words” edges toward economic warfare, testing alliances in a volatile hemisphere.