The diplomatic fracture between the United States and Colombia continues to widen as President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to President Gustavo Petro, labeling him a “troublemaker” and demanding the closure of cocaine production facilities.
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump escalated his rhetoric against the Colombian head of state, explicitly linking Petro’s administration to the illicit drug trade. “He is not a friend of the United States. He’d better be careful,” Trump said, referring to the leftist leader.
The president’s outburst contrasted sharply with the approach taken by his Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In a marathon press conference, Rubio characterized Petro as “unusual” and “unstable,” yet insisted that the White House would not allow a single individual to dismantle the historic 50-year alliance between the two nations.
US President Trump accuses the Petro administration of being complicit in the drug trade
Trump’s verbal offensive focused on allegations that the Colombian government is complicit in the drug trade. “They have at least three major cocaine factories. We know where they are,” Trump declared, adding that Petro “had better close those cocaine factories.”
The President described Petro as a “very, very bad guy,” while simultaneously emphasizing his affection for the Colombian people, whom he called “energetic” and “genial.” The comments come amid reports that global cocaine production has surged, driven by a 67% increase in illicit crops in Colombia.
#NoticiaW | “No es amigo de Estados Unidos, es un tipo malo. Tiene que cerrar las fábricas de cocaína pronto. Sabemos dónde están”: nueva advertencia del presidente Donald Trump a Gustavo Petro, presidente de Colombia. pic.twitter.com/Kva8qcmlVD
— W Radio Colombia (@WRadioColombia) December 22, 2025
The escalation follows a tense exchange regarding Venezuela. After Trump announced a blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers last week, claiming the U.S. had rights to the oil because American companies were expropriated, Petro retorted that by that logic, the U.S. should return Texas and California to Mexico. Trump’s Monday remarks were largely seen as a direct response to Petro’s defiance.
Marco Rubio says the US-Colombia partnership must outlast the Petro Administration
While Trump attacked Petro personally, Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to build a diplomatic firewall around the rest of the Colombian state. During a briefing with nearly 50 journalists, Rubio argued that the strategic partnership, encompassing trade, military, and security cooperation, must outlast the current administration in Bogota.
“We are not going to allow the pronouncements of an unstable individual … to damage our broader relationship,” Rubio said.
Rubio acknowledged that Petro’s stance “has affected our relationship,” specifically citing instructions given to Colombian security elements not to cooperate with the US.
However, he emphasized that Washington continues to work closely with other sectors of the Colombian state, including the legislature, local mayors, and the military. “It is not about left or right, it is about having a president in power who cooperates with us,” Rubio stated, noting that the U.S. is willing to work with leftist leaders who maintain security ties.
The State Department eagerly waits for a change of government in Colombia
The strategy from the State Department appears to be one of endurance. Rubio repeatedly referenced the limited time remaining in Petro’s presidency, suggesting Washington is looking past the current administration toward the next election cycle.
“We will not allow the actions of a president whose term will end soon to damage the relationship,” Rubio said. “If that changes and he changes, that would be great… but if he doesn’t, obviously it will be the people of Colombia who will have to choose their next president.
The divergence in tone between Trump and Rubio highlights a dual-track policy: While the President threatens confrontation, having previously suggested Colombia could be “subject to attacks” for drug trafficking, his top diplomat is scrambling to preserve the institutional architecture of the Plan Colombia era.
The urgency of this cooperation was underscored by violence on the ground; just one night before Rubio’s comments, six Colombian soldiers were killed in a terror attack by ELN, a guerrilla group that Rubio noted operates openly from Venezuela.