President Donald Trump unleashed a sharp rebuke against Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Sunday after Petro’s government refused to allow U.S. deportation flights to land in Colombia.
The U.S. had sent two flights carrying Colombian illegal immigrants back to their home country as part of Trump’s aggressive deportation program. Petro, however, drew a line on social media, declaring, “The U.S. cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals.” Trump fired back swiftly, accusing Petro of endangering U.S. national security.
“I was informed that two repatriation flights, carrying a large number of Illegal Criminals, were blocked by Colombia’s Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who’s already unpopular among his own people,” Trump posted on his platform. He then announced immediate retaliatory measures, including a 25% tariff on Colombian imports—set to double to 50% in a week—and travel bans targeting Colombian officials and their allies.
Trump’s plan also involves ramped-up Customs inspections on all Colombian cargo and nationals. “These measures are just the beginning,” he warned, vowing not to let Colombia shirk its “legal obligations.”
Petro, for his part, framed his decision as a stance for human dignity, stating, “The U.S. must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.”
Trump administration officials maintain their hardline stance, with deportation czar Tom Homan signaling that the crackdown on illegal immigration is only intensifying. “Everyone who entered illegally will soon be on the table,” Homan promised.
As tensions rise, it’s clear Trump’s deportation agenda isn’t slowing down—and Petro may find himself facing more than just tariffs.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt released this image Friday
