Trump Cuts U.S. Aid to Colombia, Calls President an 'Illegal Drug Dealer'

Escalating Tensions Between the U.S. and Colombia

The United States has announced a significant reduction in aid to Colombia, according to President Donald Trump, who claimed that the country's leader is failing to curb drug production. This statement has intensified the growing tension between Washington and one of its key allies in Latin America.

In a social media post, Trump referred to Colombian President Gustavo Petro as "an illegal drug dealer" and criticized him for being "low rated and very unpopular." He warned that if Petro does not take action against drug operations, the U.S. will do it for him, with no guarantees of a gentle approach.

Hours after this statement, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new strike on a vessel he alleged was carrying large quantities of narcotics. He stated that the vessel was linked to the National Liberation Army (ELN), a rebel group engaged in conflict with Petro’s government. However, Hegseth did not provide evidence for his claims and only shared a brief video clip showing a boat engulfed in flames following an explosion on Friday.

Petro, known for his strong presence on social media, rejected Trump’s accusations and defended his efforts to combat drug trafficking in Colombia, the world's leading cocaine exporter. "Promoting peace in Colombia is not being a drug trafficker," he wrote. He suggested that Trump might be misled by his advisors and described himself as the main enemy of drugs in his country. He also criticized Trump for being "rude and ignorant toward Colombia."

The Colombian Foreign Ministry labeled Trump's remarks as a "direct threat to national sovereignty" by suggesting an illegal intervention within Colombian territory. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez noted that the country has used all its capabilities and lost personnel in the fight against drug trafficking.

Growing Conflict in Latin America

Trump's latest criticism of Petro could signal an expanding conflict in Latin America, where the U.S. has already increased pressure on Venezuela and its leader, Nicolás Maduro. American naval ships, fighter jets, and drones are deployed in the region under the administration's claim of an "armed conflict" with drug cartels. Trump has also authorized covert operations inside Venezuela.

While Colombia is a longstanding U.S. ally and the top recipient of American assistance in the region, coca cultivation reached record levels last year, according to the United Nations. There has also been renewed violence in rural areas where the government has battled insurgents for years.

In September, the Trump administration accused Colombia of not cooperating in the drug war, although at the time, Washington issued a waiver of sanctions that would have triggered aid cuts. Colombia received approximately $230 million in the U.S. budget year that ended in September, a decrease from recent years when the annual amount exceeded $700 million, according to U.S. figures.

A History of Disputes

Petro, Colombia's first leftist president, has had multiple conflicts with Trump this year. Initially, he rejected U.S. military flights of deported migrants, prompting Trump to threaten tariffs. The State Department revoked Petro's visa when he attended the U.N. General Assembly in New York because he instructed American soldiers to disobey Trump's orders. In a speech to the General Assembly, the Colombian president strongly criticized the U.S. government.

Petro and Trump have also clashed over U.S. strikes on boats in the Caribbean. On Sunday, Petro accused the U.S. government of assassination, pointing to a Sept. 16 strike that he said killed a Colombian man named Alejandro Carranza. Petro claimed Carranza was a fisherman with no ties to drug trafficking and that his boat was malfunctioning when it was hit.

"The United States has invaded our national territory, fired a missile to kill a humble fisherman, and destroyed his family, his children. This is Bolívar’s homeland, and they are murdering his children with bombs," Petro wrote on social media. He said he asked his country’s attorney general’s office to initiate legal proceedings internationally and in U.S. courts.

The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Petro’s accusations.

Despite Petro’s criticisms, his government plans to prosecute the Colombian survivor of a more recent U.S. strike on a submersible allegedly carrying drugs. Another survivor was repatriated to Ecuador, where the Ministry of the Interior stated he would not face charges after prosecutors met with him and determined he had not committed any crimes within the country's borders.

International Concerns

Elizabeth Dickinson, a senior analyst for the Andes region at the International Crisis Group, expressed concern over the U.S. decision to alienate its strongest military partner in Latin America during a period of heightened tensions with Venezuela. She noted that Washington and Bogota have long considered their relationship foundational, but "that wisdom is being thrown out the window, with really catastrophic effects."

Colombia has already experienced a significant loss of U.S. funding due to Trump's cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development this year. Further reductions could impact military cooperation and undermine efforts to combat rebel groups.

"If that is cut, we will see a strategic loss of capability for the Colombian military and police at precisely the moment when they’re confronting the greatest security crisis in Colombia for over a decade," she said.

Megerian and Coto write for the Associated Press and reported from Palm Beach and San Juan, Puerto Rico, respectively.