President Donald Trump announced that his administration will not impose retaliatory tariffs on Colombia after reaching an agreement to resolve a dispute over deportation flights. The issue escalated after Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially blocked two U.S. military aircraft carrying deported migrants from entering Colombian airspace on Sunday.
The standoff was resolved late Sunday night, with both nations reaching an understanding. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt released a statement Sunday stating that Colombia agreed to accept the return of all deported Colombian nationals, including those transported on U.S. military planes, without restrictions or delays:
“The Government of Colombia has accepted all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay. Based on this agreement, the fully drafted IEEPA tariffs and sanctions will be held in reserve, and not signed, unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement. The visa sanctions issued by the State Department, and enhanced inspections from Customs and Border Protection, will remain in effect until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned. Today’s events make clear to the world that America is respected again. President Trump will continue to fiercely protect our nation’s sovereignty, and he expects all other nations of the world to fully cooperate in accepting the deportation of their citizens illegally present in the United States.”
🚨The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms pic.twitter.com/mQocusSGOC
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 27, 2025
In response, the Colombian government confirmed the agreement and announced plans to send top diplomats to Washington, D.C., for further discussions.
The dispute began when Petro objected to the use of U.S. military aircraft for deportation operations, claiming that Colombian migrants were being treated unfairly. Petro insisted on the use of civilian planes instead, arguing that the U.S. could not “treat Colombian migrants like criminals.”
In response, Trump threatened a series of harsh retaliatory measures. These included a 25% tariff on all Colombian imports to the U.S., which would escalate to 50% if the issue was not resolved within a week. Trump also announced plans to impose visa restrictions on Colombian officials, their families, and supporters, as well as enhanced customs inspections on Colombian goods and passengers entering the U.S.
“These measures are just the beginning,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We will not allow the Colombian government to shirk its legal obligations to accept the return of its citizens, especially those who committed crimes in the United States.”
Petro initially retaliated by proposing a 50% tariff on U.S. imports to Colombia and offering the use of his presidential plane to assist with deportation efforts. However, the Colombian president ultimately conceded to the Trump administration’s demands, resolving the conflict before further escalation.
An unnamed Trump administration official revealed that the U.S. was caught off guard by Colombia’s decision to block the flights, as the deportation flights had been approved before takeoff. “You can’t publicly defy us like that,” the official told CNN. “We needed to send a clear message that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.”
