Trump Threatens Colombia With Military Action After Stunning Maduro Capture
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked fresh international alarm after openly suggesting that the United States could launch a military operation against Colombia, branding the country’s leadership as “sick” and accusing its president of fueling the cocaine trade into America.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump appeared to endorse the idea of direct military intervention, responding bluntly when asked whether such an operation was under consideration.
“It sounds good to me,” Trump said.
His remarks were directed at Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, whom Trump accused of presiding over a narco-state and allowing drug production to flourish.
“Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man, who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,” Trump told reporters. “And he’s not going to be doing it very long.”
The comments came just days after the United States carried out a dramatic overseas raid that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The operation saw U.S. forces detain Maduro and transport him to New York, where he is now facing long-standing drug-trafficking charges brought by American prosecutors.
Trump’s suggestion that Colombia could be the next target has raised fears of a widening confrontation in Latin America, particularly given Colombia’s status as a long-standing U.S. ally and a key regional partner on security and counter-narcotics efforts.
President Petro, a former left-wing guerrilla who took office in 2022, has repeatedly clashed with Washington over drug policy, calling for a shift away from militarised anti-narcotics campaigns and towards economic and social reforms. Trump’s remarks signal a sharp contrast in approach, favouring forceful intervention and personal attacks on foreign leaders.
While no official announcement of military planning has been made, Trump’s comments mark one of the most explicit endorsements yet of potential U.S. action against Colombia, following the unprecedented detention of a sitting Venezuelan president.
Analysts warn that such rhetoric could significantly escalate tensions in the region, strain diplomatic relations, and undermine decades of U.S.–Colombia cooperation, even as Washington intensifies its crackdown on international drug trafficking networks.
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Trump Threatens Colombia With Military Action After Stunning Maduro Capture