Trump Cuts US Aid, Plans Tariffs on Colombia
Trump says he will end U.S. assistance to Colombia and raise tariffs, accusing Colombian President Gustavo Petro of abetting drug production.
October 20, 2025Clash Report

ClashReport
U.S. President Donald Trump escalated a fast-moving dispute with Bogotá, declaring he will “stop all payments” to Colombia and unveil higher tariffs, while labeling Colombian President Gustavo Petro “an illegal drug leader.”
Colombia rejected the charge and vowed to defend its autonomy as legal and human-rights concerns mount over recent U.S. strikes on boats in the Caribbean.
Trump’s Charge and the Tariff Threat
Speaking to reporters, Trump said Colombia has “no fight against drugs” and is “a drug-manufacturing machine,” adding that he would announce tariff hikes “on Monday.”
On social media, he wrote in capital letters: “AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA,” and warned Petro to “better close up” drug operations “or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.”
Bogotá Pushes Back, Cites Sovereignty
Petro responded that “Colombia has never been rude to the United States,” calling Trump “rude and ignorant toward Colombia,” and described himself as “the main enemy” of drugs in his country.
Colombia’s Foreign Ministry said the accusations “undermine the dignity of the president of Colombians” and constitute a direct threat to sovereignty, pledging to seek international support in defense of the country’s autonomy.
Strikes at Sea and a Wider Rift
Hours after Trump’s posts, the U.S. defense chief said a boat linked to a Colombian rebel group had been destroyed in the Caribbean, killing three people—an assertion offered without cited evidence. Petro disputed the claim, saying the boat belonged to a “humble family.”
The confrontation follows a series of U.S. strikes on alleged traffickers since early September and comes as UN data show coca cultivation reached an all-time high last year, intensifying pressure on Petro’s security strategy.
Related Topics
Related News
EU, Indonesia Clinch Near-Zero Tariff Pact
Europe
September 2025
Obama Slams Trump Over USAID Closure
America
July 2025
Israel Intercepts Gaza Aid Flotilla in International Waters
Israel-Gaza War
October 2025
US Revokes Petro’s Visa After NYC Pro-Palestine Rally
America
September 2025
BRICS Decry Protectionism, Censure Israeli Strikes at UNGA
Israel-Gaza War
September 2025
Trump Confirms CIA Covert Operations in Venezuela
America
October 2025