Trump is not interested in making peace with Colombian President Petro

President Donald Trump is “not interested” in making peace with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the White House said Thursday, as tensions between Washington and Bogota continue to escalate.

“I don’t think we’re seeing a de-escalation right now from Colombia’s unhinged leader,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a White House briefing when asked what Petro could do to reduce tensions.

“Frankly, I don’t think the president is interested at this point,” Leavitt added.

Relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply after Petro accused the United States of killing innocent fishermen. strikes targeting drug traffickers in the Caribbean.

Trump doubles down on Colombia crackdown, calls PETRO ‘MUNATICAL’ and vows to end all US drug payments

President Donald Trump is “not interested” in making peace with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the White House said Thursday, as tensions between Washington and Bogota continue to escalate. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Following Petro’s accusation, Trump announced plans to cut all anti-drug aid to Colombia and impose new tariffs on the country.

Trump attacks his South American counterpartcalling him a “thug” who “makes a lot of drugs.”

“They’re doing very badly in Colombia. They’re making cocaine. They have cocaine factories…and he better watch that or we’re going to take very serious action against him and his country,” Trump said. “He led his country into a death trap.”

ALLIANCE WITH US “Dismantled” BY LEFT PETRO REGIME, SAYS FORMER COLOMBIAN DEFENSE MINISTER

Petro fought back, threatening to sue Trump in US court.

“From the slander that has been cast against me on the territory of the United States by high officials, I will defend myself before the American lawyers in the American justice system,” Petro wrote on X. “I will always speak out against the genocides and murders committed by those in power in the Caribbean.”

“When our help is needed to fight drug trafficking, American society will have it. We will fight drug traffickers with the states that want our help,” he added.

The United States has carried out eight military strikes against Venezuelan narcoterrorists. (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social)

Petro has sought closer ties with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro while distancing Colombia – a major non-NATO ally – from the United States.

At the same time, the United States carried out eight strikes against ships suspected of transporting narcotics from Latin America. The world is now watching whether Trump will follow through on his threats to strike Venezuelan soil – or whether he will target Maduro himself, directly or indirectly.

Trump confirmed that he had authorized the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela and also warned that Colombia could face similar consequences.

A Venezuelan ship was destroyed in a US military strike off the coast of Venezuela on September 2, 2025. (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social)

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“Petro, an unpopular and highly unpopular leader with a cool mouth toward America, had better shut down these battlefields immediately,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “or the United States will shut them down for him, and that won’t go well.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Colombian Embassy in Washington sought to ease tensions, saying that the US representative in Bogota recently met with Petro and that “both parties agreed to continue the dialogue in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect. The meeting reaffirmed the common commitment to efforts against illicit drug trafficking, based on precision, coordination and security.