U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that any country sending illegal drugs into the United States could face military strikes, intensifying tensions in the Americas and sparking sharp rebukes from regional leaders.
Reuters reported today Trump, speaking during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday, said: "Anybody that's doing that and selling it into our country is subject to attack," singling out cocaine shipments from Colombia. He added that nations could be targeted with land strikes, stressing: "Not just Venezuela."
Colombian President Gustavo Petro responded on X, highlighting his country’s ongoing anti-drug efforts.
"We destroy a drug-producing laboratory every 40 minutes – without missiles," he wrote. He warned Trump not to violate Colombia’s sovereignty, adding: "Do not threaten our sovereignty, or you will awake the Jaguar. Attacking our sovereignty is declaring war."
Trump has previously escalated U.S. actions against alleged drug-trafficking operations, authorising targeted missile strikes against boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, which have reportedly killed dozens.
The U.S. has also increased its military presence in the Caribbean, heightening tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom Trump accuses of facilitating the flow of illegal drugs into the United States—a charge Maduro denies.
"I hear the country of Colombia is making cocaine, they have cocaine manufacturing plants, and then they sell us their cocaine," Trump said on Tuesday, further suggesting that multiple nations could be held accountable.
Petro, who has faced personal sanctions from the Trump administration, invited the U.S. president to join Colombia’s anti-drug campaign, but reiterated his warning against infringing on national sovereignty.
The exchanges mark a dramatic escalation in rhetoric from the United States, raising fears of broader conflict in the region. - December 3, 2025
