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President Donald Trump vowed immediate retaliation with imposed sanctions and an "emergency 25% tariff" on Colombia after the country turned back two U.S. military flights carrying deported migrants on Sunday (January 26).
"I was just informed that two repatriation flights from the United States, with a large number of Illegal Criminals, were not allowed to land in Colombia," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. "This order was given by Colombia’s Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who is already very unpopular amongst his people. Petro’s denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States, so I have directed my Administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures:
- Emergency 25% tariffs on all goods coming into the United States. In one week, the 25% tariffs will be raised to 50%.
- A Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations on the Colombian Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters.
- Visa Sanctions on all Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government.
- Enhanced Customs and Border Protection Inspections of all Colombian Nationals and Cargo on national security grounds.
- IEEPA Treasury, Banking and Financial Sanctions to be fully imposed.
"These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States!"
Trump's social media rant came after Petro blocked the U.S. military jets from arriving in Colombia, though he didn't completely shut the door on deportation flights, instead demanding the U.S. use civilian planes to create better protocols for how they treat the deported migrants in a post shared on his X account. Petro conceded that the Colombian migrants couldn't stay in the U.S. if they're unwanted, but should be returned "with dignity and respect for them and for our country."
“We will receive our fellow citizens on civilian planes, without treating them like criminals," he added.