U.S. President Donald Trump’s call with Colombian President Gustavo Petro signals a tentative diplomatic reset after weeks of friction, but the exchange also underscored sharp disagreements over drugs, climate policy, and Washington’s approach to Latin America. Writing on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump described the conversation as a “great honor,” praising Petro’s tone and confirming plans for a future meeting at the White House. The outreach comes after Trump publicly accused Petro of being a drug trafficker, an allegation the Colombian leader has categorically denied.

Trump said the meeting logistics are being coordinated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Colombia’s Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio, with Washington, D.C., identified as the venue. No date was announced, but the coordination itself marks a shift from open confrontation to managed engagement between two governments whose relations have become increasingly volatile.

“Disagreement” Over Regional Vision

Petro offered a markedly different framing of the call. Posting on X, the Colombian president said the discussion focused on “disagreement” regarding Trump’s view of U.S.–Latin America relations. Petro argued that the relationship should move beyond security and extraction toward a strategic energy partnership, emphasizing South America’s clean energy potential.

He said Latin America could theoretically enable “100% of the U.S. energy matrix” if renewable resources were fully developed, positioning the region as a climate solution rather than a commodity base. Petro proposed a $500 billion U.S. investment to unlock what he described as Latin America’s clean energy capacity, tying energy cooperation directly to efforts to “fight to stop the climate crisis.”

Security Frictions and Drug Policy

Drug trafficking remained a central issue in the exchange. Trump said the call addressed drugs and other bilateral disputes, though he did not provide operational details. The topic has been a persistent point of tension, particularly after Trump earlier accused Petro of links to narcotics trafficking. Petro has denied those claims, stating he has never been involved in drug trafficking.

The dispute highlights diverging policy philosophies. Trump has emphasized enforcement and pressure on producer and transit states, while Petro has publicly questioned the effectiveness of traditional counter-narcotics strategies. The call did not resolve those differences, but it reopened a channel at a moment when diplomatic ties appeared at risk of further deterioration.

Climate, Power, and Hemispheric Stakes

Petro used the conversation to draw a stark contrast between fossil-fuel dependence and renewable-led cooperation. He warned that “using Latin America solely for oil” would undermine international law and risk global instability, linking energy policy to broader security outcomes. He went further, arguing that such an approach could lead to “barbarism and a third world war,” language that underscores the ideological gap between Bogotá and Washington.

Trump, for his part, did not publicly engage with Petro’s climate arguments in his statement, instead emphasizing the cordial tone of the call and the prospect of a meeting. Still, the fact that both leaders acknowledged the conversation suggests an effort to stabilize ties after public recriminations.

The planned White House meeting, if it proceeds, will test whether the two sides can translate dialogue into functional cooperation across at least three contested domains: drug policy, energy strategy, and the future of U.S. engagement with Latin America.