U.S. President Donald Trump praised the people of Colombia as “great” and “incredible” amid a sudden diplomatic détente with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, as both leaders prepare for a White House meeting next month.
Trump calls Colombian people ‘great and incredible’ amid diplomatic rapprochement with Petro
Trump made the remark during a White House engagement focused on energy policy, where he also confirmed arrangements are underway for a formal visit by Petro in early February. “He has been very hostile to me and the nation […] But he called yesterday through people and he wants to meet. That’s fine with me,” said Trump before adding that “the people of Colombia are incredible people” and reminded jokefully that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is married to a Colombian woman.
President Trump: "The people of Colombia are incredible people. Marco would know that better than anybody because he's married to a woman from Colombia. And I don't mean Columbia University." 🤣 pic.twitter.com/HQqNIAYagb
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 9, 2026
The scheduled meeting follows a lengthy phone call on Wednesday described by both presidents as constructive, covering disagreements on drug trafficking and broader bilateral issues. Trump posted on social media that he “appreciated [Petro’s] call and tone” and looked forward to the upcoming talks in Washington.
Relations between the United States and Colombia had deteriorated dramatically over recent months. Last year, the Trump administration revoked Petro’s U.S. visa and imposed sanctions on the Colombian president and members of his government, alleging failures in counternarcotics efforts. Tensions peaked earlier this week after a U.S. military operation captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro — an action Petro condemned as a violation of regional sovereignty. In the aftermath, Trump suggested that military action against Colombia “sounds good to me,” triggering alarm in Bogota and protests among Petro supporters.
The warming of diplomatic relations between Trump and Petro is all the more unexpected given that the two men have frequently resorted to insults and virulent language to describe one another.Petro had notably portrayed Trump as an agent of chaos, calling on the U.S. military to disobey to his orders in the heart of New York, while the American president accused Petro of producing cocaine and recently called him “a sick man.” As a reminder, Trump had previously qualified Colombia as being a “drug den”.
There is little doubt that Maduro’s abduction and the rapprochement between Washington and Caracas helped facilitate and accelerate the current reconciliation, also seemingly driven by a certain fear and apprehension on Petro’s part toward the White House.