Trump-Petro meeting at the White House. Earlier, the US president threatened to attack Colombia

US President Donald Trump met for the first time with the leader of Colombia, Gustave Petro, whom he had previously accused of allowing cocaine smuggling and threatened to attack his country. Despite previous skirmishes, both leaders assessed the conversation positively.

Petro was received at the White House on Tuesday without the public ceremonies that have accompanied visits by some leaders. Journalists were not allowed to attend the meeting, which lasted approximately two hours, Reuters emphasized.

The leaders' subsequent statements did not provide specific details about the agreements reached, but – despite earlier differences of opinion – both were optimistic about the meeting.

Trump said he and Petro are working to stop the flow of drugs into the US. – We had a good meeting. “I think he was great,” he said of the Colombian leader.

Petro posted on X a photo of a note, apparently in Trump's handwriting, with the words: “Gustavo – it's a great honor – I love Colombia.”

¿Qué me quiso decir Trump en esta dedicatoria?
No entiendo mucho el inglés pic.twitter.com/biNGKcVBu2

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) February 3, 2026

Petro said he asked Trump for help in stopping important drug smugglers operating out of Colombia. He also asked for U.S. mediation in a diplomatic dispute with neighboring Ecuador, whose President Daniel Noboa is a close Trump ally.

Colombia is traditionally an important economic and military ally of the United States, but their relations have recently become very tense. Petro criticized the US build-up of forces in the Latin American region, attacks on suspected smuggling boats, as well as the attack on Venezuela and the capture of its leader, Nicolas Maduro, on January 3.

After the attack on Venezuela, Trump said that Petro “has to watch his ass.” He accused him of “having cocaine factories” and “sending it to the United States.” He also said that an operation in Colombia similar to the one in Venezuela seemed to him a “good idea.” The US administration also imposed financial sanctions on Petro. (PAP)

wia/ ap/