Trump accuses Colombian president Petro of supporting drug trade, ends subsidies: 'Petro is an illegal drug leader'

US President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Sunday (19 October), accusing him of enabling illegal drug production and warning against direct US action. Allegations against Petro In his Truth Social post, Trump labeled Petro “an illegal drug leader” and accused him of encouraging large-scale drug production across Colombia. He said: “It has become by far the biggest business in Colombia, and Petro is doing nothing to stop it, despite large-scale payments and subsidies from the US that are nothing more than a long-term rip-off of America.” US payments suspended Trump announced that, effective immediately, all US payments and subsidies to Colombia would cease. “FROM TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA,” he wrote, underscoring the extent of the threat the Colombian drug trade poses to the United States. Direct warning to Colombia Trump framed the situation as a threat to US security, citing the flow of illegal drugs into the country. He warned Petro to act against the drug-producing areas, saying: “Petro, a low-rated and very unpopular leader, with a fresh mouth towards America, must close these killing fields immediately, or the United States will close them for him, and it will not be done well.”