Colombia Issues New Statement on Trump’s Military Threat

By Amira El-Fekki‎

Middle East News Reporter

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Colombia rebuffed Donald Trump late on Tuesday after the U.S. president said military action in the South American country was possible under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.

"Any threat of external aggression that violates the dignity, integrity of the territory and sovereignty of the Colombian people is rejected," the Colombian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Colombia continues with its unwavering commitment to the fight against drug trafficking," the ministry stated. "We make an urgent call for fraternity between Latin America and the Caribbean so that as Latin American fraternal peoples, unity prevails in the face of any attempt at external intervention that seeks to undermine sovereignty."

Earlier the same day, Trump had told reporters during a Cabinet meeting at the White House that any country selling drugs could be "subject to attack"—including Colombia.

His remarks came amid mounting tensions between the United States and Venezuela in particular, with the Trump administration contemplating military strikes there as well.

In Congress, bipartisan concern persists over U.S. military strikes off Venezuela’s Caribbean coast and in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, in waters the Trump administration said were being used as drug trafficking routes. Lawmakers have launched a review following reports that said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had verbally ordered a second strike on an alleged drug smuggling vessel to kill survivors, an act critics say could amount to a war crime.

Also on Tuesday, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro said on X in response to Trump's warning: "Come to Colombia, Mr. Trump, I invite you, so that you can participate in the destruction of the 9 laboratories we do daily to prevent cocaine from reaching the US."

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.