Trump Threatens to Cut Aid to Colombia After Petro Accuses U.S. of “Murder” in Drug War

 U.S.-Colombia relations are teetering on the edge after President Donald Trump threatened to cut all American aid to the South American country, referring to Colombian President Gustavo Petro as an “illegal drug dealer” in a scathing public statement.

“Petro... better close up these killing fields immediately, or the United States will close them up for him — and it won’t be done nicely,” President Trump said, during a White House press conference late Sunday, escalating an already tense standoff over recent U.S. military operations in the Caribbean.

The diplomatic firestorm was sparked after Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused U.S. forces of killing a Colombian fisherman during one of several recent maritime strikes targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels.

“U.S. government officials have committed murder and violated our sovereignty in territorial waters,” Petro posted on social media. “This is a breach of international law and an insult to our nation.”

The fisherman’s identity has not been released, but his death occurred during one of seven U.S.-led operations in the Caribbean Sea over the past two weeks. The strikes were part of a sweeping anti-drug campaign launched after President Trump declared the U.S. was in an “armed conflict with narco-terrorists.”

According to Pentagon sources, the operations have resulted in the deaths of 32 individuals suspected of drug trafficking. However, no concrete evidence has been publicly released to confirm that the vessels or the individuals killed were in possession of narcotics or engaged in trafficking activities.

President Trump has repeatedly defended the strikes, claiming they are necessary to protect American lives and secure the nation’s borders.

“These narco-boats are floating bombs of death headed for our shores,” Trump said on social media earlier this week. “We will not wait for them to kill our people before we act.”

Colombian officials, however, have called for an international investigation into the killings and the legality of U.S. military action in disputed or sovereign waters.

“This is not counter-narcotics enforcement. This is a violation of our sovereignty,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva during a press briefing in Bogotá. “Our government will not tolerate extrajudicial killings or the trampling of Colombian lives in the name of a foreign war on drugs.”

The U.S. provides over $450 million annually in foreign aid to Colombia, much of it focused on security cooperation, anti-narcotics operations, and economic development. A suspension of aid would deal a significant blow to Colombia’s ongoing post-conflict reconstruction efforts and drug eradication programs.

Analysts warn that the growing rift could destabilize years of collaboration between the two nations, especially in counter-narcotics policy and regional security.

“This rhetoric from both sides is unprecedented,” said Laura Mendoza, a Latin America policy expert at the Brookings Institution. “If diplomatic channels aren’t restored soon, we could see a serious breakdown in one of the most strategic alliances in the hemisphere.”

The White House has not responded to calls for clarification on the rules of engagement for the Caribbean strikes or whether future operations are planned.

Meanwhile, human rights groups and international observers are urging restraint, transparency, and a full accounting of the casualties.

“Without proof that those killed were trafficking drugs, these strikes risk being seen as unlawful killings,” said Human Rights Watch in a statement Monday. “Accountability must not be sacrificed in the name of security.”

As tensions escalate, it remains to be seen whether diplomatic efforts will prevail — or whether the decades-long U.S.-Colombia partnership will be another casualty in the ongoing war on drugs.