Trump Hosts Colombia’s Petro Weeks After Harsh Drug Trade Accusations/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump is set to host Colombian President Gustavo Petro at the White House, weeks after calling him a “sick man” and threatening military action. Despite sharp rhetoric, the meeting will focus on regional security and counternarcotics efforts. Petro remains critical of Trump’s foreign policy, even as relations cautiously thaw.
Trump Petro Meeting Quick Looks
- Trump welcomes Colombian President Petro after weeks of public insults and sanctions.
- The visit follows Trump’s military threats and accusations of Petro fueling U.S. drug trade.
- U.S. officials say the agenda includes regional security and counternarcotics cooperation.
- Petro continues to criticize U.S. policies, including the raid that captured Maduro.
- Trump recently claimed Petro’s tone shifted after that Venezuelan operation.
- Petro encouraged street demonstrations in Bogotá during his White House visit.
- Sanctions on Petro and family were waived to permit his U.S. entry.
- Colombia, a key U.S. ally, was recently labeled “non-cooperative” in the drug war.
- Over 120 people were killed in Trump-ordered strikes on smuggling operations.
- Past Trump meetings with foreign leaders have featured public rebukes and tension.
Deep Look: Trump Hosts Colombia’s Petro Despite Recent Hostility
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a striking diplomatic turnaround, President Donald Trump will meet with Colombian President Gustavo Petro at the White House on Tuesday, despite having recently labeled the South American leader a “sick man” responsible for funneling cocaine into the United States and threatening military action against his country.
The scheduled talks come just weeks after Trump accused Petro of exacerbating the U.S. drug crisis and imposed sanctions on him, his family, and a senior member of his government. Now, the visit signals a tentative reset, with the official agenda centered on regional security and counternarcotics cooperation, according to U.S. officials.
Speaking to reporters Monday, Trump acknowledged his criticism of Petro but claimed the Colombian president’s tone had softened following the controversial U.S. operation in Venezuela to capture Nicolás Maduro.
“Somehow after the Venezuelan raid, he became very nice,” Trump said. “He changed his attitude very much.”
Still, ideological and personal differences between the two leaders cast a long shadow. Trump, a conservative populist, and Petro, a leftist former guerrilla, have frequently exchanged hostile rhetoric, and Petro has continued to slam U.S. foreign policy even in the lead-up to this high-stakes meeting.
From Tensions to Talks
Just last month, Trump intensified pressure on Colombia after launching a series of deadly strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific. The operations—designed to combat narcotics trafficking—have reportedly killed at least 126 people in 36 incidents.
In October, the Trump administration took the extraordinary step of sanctioning Petro, his wife, his son, and Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, citing alleged links to the global drug trade. Those sanctions were temporarily waived to allow Petro’s entry into the United States for the meeting.
Further straining relations, the U.S. also added Colombia to its list of “non-cooperative” nations in the drug war—marking a historic break in a three-decade alliance centered around combatting cocaine production and trafficking.
Petro did not shy away from responding. He labeled the U.S. operation to apprehend Maduro a “kidnapping,” and ahead of his trip to Washington, called Trump an “accomplice to genocide” in Gaza. He also urged Colombians to protest in Bogotá during his meeting at the White House.
A Fragile Diplomatic Reset?
Despite the verbal clashes, the path to Tuesday’s summit began reopening after a lengthy phone call between the two presidents. Trump said Petro provided explanations on “the drug situation and other disagreements,” which led to the invitation to Washington.
The meeting could mark a cautious step toward repairing relations, though neither side appears ready to fully abandon their respective narratives. While Trump has publicly suggested Petro is now more cooperative, Petro has not retracted his recent criticisms.
Petro’s arrival comes amid concerns about how Trump may use the optics of the visit. Known for unpredictable and confrontational encounters with foreign leaders, Trump has previously used joint press events to issue sharp criticisms—including against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
It remains unclear if Tuesday’s meeting will include a press appearance or if Trump will repeat the public pressure tactics he’s employed before.
Colombia’s Role and U.S. Interests
Colombia has long been a critical U.S. partner in Latin America, particularly in drug enforcement and regional stability. Billions of dollars in aid have supported anti-narcotics efforts, rebel demobilization, and rural development since the 1990s.
But under Petro, who took office in 2022, relations with Washington have frayed, especially over his more lenient stance on drug policy and his criticism of U.S. military interventions in the region.
Tuesday’s meeting may represent one of the most tense U.S.-Colombia engagements in recent memory—and a test of whether diplomacy can outlast deeply rooted disagreements and personal animosities between two combustible leaders.
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