Trump Cuts Aid to Colombia Over Drug Production Allegations

President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will cease providing foreign aid to Colombia, claiming the Colombian government is “encouraging” the mass production of illicit drugs.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticized Colombian President Gustavo Petro, labeling him an “illegal drug dealer” and detailing his reasons for the aid termination.

“President Gustavo Petro, of Colombia, is an illegal drug dealer strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs, in big and small fields, all over Colombia. It has become the biggest business in Colombia, by far, and Petro does nothing to stop it, despite large scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long-term rip-off of America,” Trump wrote.

“AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA.”

He further stated that Colombia’s drug trade leads to “massive amounts of product” entering the U.S., causing “death, destruction, and havoc.”

Trump concluded with a warning for Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, insisting that he must curb Colombia’s drug industry: “or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.”

In response, Petro accused the U.S. government of committing murder during a September airstrike that was aimed at “confirmed narcoterrorists.” U.S. officials maintain it targeted drug traffickers.

“US government officials have committed a murder and violated our sovereignty in territorial waters. Fisherman Alejandro Carranza had no ties to the drug trade and his daily activity was fishing. The Colombian boat was adrift and had its distress signal up due to an engine failure. We await explanations from the US government,” Petro posted on X.

President Trump noted that the airstrike was aimed at “positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists” operating in the region.

In the aftermath of Trump’s announcement, War Secretary Pete Hegseth reported an additional U.S. military strike near South America, targeting a vessel linked to the National Liberation Army, a Colombian rebel group involved in drug trafficking.

Trump’s actions against Petro align with a broader strategy by his administration to intensify efforts against drug production networks in South America.