Colombian President Gustavo Petro has alleged that during Donald Trump’s latest drug sting in the Caribbean, Colombian citizens were killed. Petro shared on X that he now views Trump’s approach to drug enforcement as a “war scenario.”
Trump’s approach to war is deeply tied to his austerity measures. The way the US government moved past the drug-trafficking era of Colombian drug barons such as Pablo Escobar was by simply giving farmers in remote areas something else to do. Through programs funded by USAID — before it was decimated by Trump — Colombians were able to explore other cash crops in their fertile fields. But after a misstep in which the US government used glyphosate on Colombian farms, both the people and the government lost their trust, prompting many farmers to return to cultivating coca plants.
Trump is now determined to ensure that drug shipments from Colombia don’t reach the United States. He has decertified Colombia as a partner in the war on drugs and resorted to using the army to stop shipments from reaching US ports. On multiple occasions, the military has bombed ships in international waters, drawing strong criticism both domestically and abroad.
Senator Adam Schiff announced on X that he will join forces with Senator Tim Kaine to block Trump-authorized military strikes on boats believed to be carrying drugs. Schiff noted that it’s imperative to act before the situation escalates into a full-fledged war.
BREAKING: I just forced a vote with @SenTimKaine to block the unauthorized boat strikes in the Caribbean.
— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) October 9, 2025
In an important step forward, the vote was bipartisan, even if it fell two votes short.
Sadly, as these strikes get worse, support will only grow for another War Powers…
President Petro quoted Schiff’s post to add that the situation is even more dire than many realise. He alleged that his sources indicate Trump’s latest bombing of a boat resulted in the deaths of Colombian citizens. Petro urged the victims’ families to come forward and share their stories. He also claimed that Trump’s war isn’t truly against smuggling but rather for oil, calling the entire debacle a sign that a “new war scenario has opened up.”
El senador Adam Shiff está en lo correcto.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 8, 2025
Ahora me encuentro en una reunión con los gobiernos Europeos y diré lo mismo.
Se ha abierto un nuevo escenario de guerra: el Caribe.
Indicios muestran que la última lancha bombardeada era colombiana con ciudadanos colombianos en su… https://t.co/CozMUBklxE
The original tweet by Petro was entirely in Spanish, and another translation of that ominous statement could simply be “war has begun.” The Colombian President stated that he will travel to Europe to present his case to the wider international community, urging them to take a stand against military deployment in non-war situations.
The White House responded to Newsweek, saying they hope Petro will soon “publicly retract his baseless and reprehensible statement,” after which the two nations can “return to a productive dialogue on building a strong, prosperous future for the people of the United States and Colombia.”
This isn’t the first time the White House has clashed directly with the Colombian president. During Petro’s last visit to the US, he held a rally in New York City and was later accused of urging members of the US Army to disobey President Trump’s orders. His visa was promptly revoked, forcing him to return home.
Trump is currently basking in the glow of the recently announced Gaza ceasefire after months of senseless bloodshed. The last thing this administration wants is to stumble into another war immediately after. The US Senate is now expected to soon vote on whether Trump should be allowed to deploy military enforcement in the Caribbean without the approval of Congress.
