Trump says he’s cutting off funding for Colombia over ‘illegal drug leader’ Petro

"Mr. Trump, Colombia has never been rude to the USA; on the contrary, it has greatly admired its culture. But you are rude and ignorant toward Colombia," Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote on X, translated from Spanish, in response to Trump

Published: October 19, 2025 10:06am

Updated: October 19, 2025 4:18pm

President Trump said on Sunday that he's cutting off subsidies and other funding to Colombia.

"President Gustavo Petro, of Colombia, is an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs, in big and small fields, all over Colombia," he wrote on Truth Social. 

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

Trump wrote that the "purpose of this drug production is the sale of massive amounts of product into the United States, causing death, destruction, and havoc."

He called Petro a "low rated and very unpopular leader, with a fresh mouth toward America, better close up these killing fields immediately, or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely."

Trump is referring to Petro encouraging members of the National Guard outside the United Nations to not obey the U.S. president's orders. 

Petro responded to Trump's statement on Sunday.

"Mr. Trump, Colombia has never been rude to the USA; on the contrary, it has greatly admired its culture.

But you are rude and ignorant toward Colombia," he wrote on X, translated from Spanish.

"I don't do business, like you do; I am a socialist, I believe in aid and the common good and in the common goods of humanity, the greatest of all: life, put in danger by your oil.

If I am not a merchant, then much less a drug trafficker; in my heart there is no greed.

I could never get along with greed," he added.

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