Trump to Host Colombia’s Gustavo Petro at White House as Drug Trafficking Tops Agenda [WATCH]

President Donald Trump is set to host Colombian President Gustavo Petro at the White House on Tuesday, marking a sharp turn in a relationship that has swung from open confrontation to cautious engagement over the past year, as reported by Fox News.

The high-stakes meeting is expected to focus heavily on drug trafficking, security cooperation, and migration, after months of diplomatic tension that pushed U.S.–Colombia relations to their lowest point in decades.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the visit, President Trump suggested Petro’s tone toward the United States has shifted noticeably in recent weeks, while making clear that narcotics will dominate the talks.

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“I mean, he’s been very nice over the last month or two,” Trump said. “They were certainly critical before that. But somehow, after the Venezuelan raid, he became very nice. He changed his attitude. Very much so.”

Trump said he welcomed the opportunity to meet Petro in person but underscored his concerns about drug flows originating in Colombia.

“He’s coming in. We’re going to be talking about drugs because tremendous amounts of drugs come out of his country,” Trump said. “And I look forward to seeing him. We’re going to have a good meeting.”

President Trump on Colombia’s President Petro,

“He was certainly critical before that, but somehow, after the Venezuela raid, he became very nice! He changed his attitude!”pic.twitter.com/yt1hEsUala

— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) February 2, 2026

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For decades, Colombia was considered one of Washington’s strongest allies in South America, particularly on counternarcotics and security.

Cooperation deepened under Plan Colombia beginning in 2000, when U.S. military and law-enforcement assistance played a central role in Colombia’s fight against insurgent groups and drug trafficking organizations.

That partnership helped stabilize the country and eventually led the United States to designate Colombia a major Non-NATO ally.

U.S. officials and analysts say that the foundation has eroded in recent years amid growing mistrust and diverging priorities under Petro’s left-wing government.

Tensions flared publicly in January 2025 when Petro initially refused to allow U.S. deportation flights carrying Colombian nationals to land.

The standoff prompted Trump to threaten tariffs, travel bans, and visa restrictions before Colombia reversed course and accepted the flights. The episode marked the first major rupture between the two leaders following Trump’s return to office.

Relations deteriorated further in September 2025 when Petro traveled to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, joined protests, and publicly urged U.S. soldiers to “disobey the orders of Trump.”

In response, the U.S. State Department revoked Petro’s visa on Sept. 27, 2025. The following month, the Trump administration announced punitive measures targeting Petro and members of his inner circle, citing concerns about drug trafficking and weakened security cooperation.

Trump publicly labeled Petro a “drug leader,” suspended U.S. aid, and warned of additional consequences.

Signs of de-escalation emerged last month when Trump and Petro spoke by phone for the first time since the breakdown.

Trump later described the call as a “great honor,” praising Petro’s tone. Both sides agreed to reopen dialogue on counternarcotics, migration, and trade.

Colombia subsequently resumed U.S. deportation flights, clearing the way for Tuesday’s meeting.

Melissa Ford Maldonado, director of the Western Hemisphere Initiative at the America First Policy Institute, said the visit underscores how much is now at stake.

“Colombia remains the most important U.S. partner in South America, but that status is conditional, and lately it’s been under real strain, largely because of President Gustavo Petro’s tolerance for criminal networks that threaten both Colombian sovereignty and American security,” Maldonado told Fox News Digital.

She said the administration is expected to press for renewed cooperation on counternarcotics and security amid record cocaine production.

“Counternarcotics and security cooperation will likely dominate the conversation,” Maldonado said, adding that Washington has grown less willing to accommodate governments it believes enable narco-criminal ecosystems.

“What to watch going forward is whether Colombia chooses to course-correct or continues drifting toward the model next door, which blurred the line between the state and organized crime,” she said.

“That trust has been badly damaged, but it is not beyond repair.”

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