President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that any country involved in trafficking illegal drugs into the United States could face a U.S. military strike, escalating rhetoric amid ongoing clashes over narcotics trafficking in the Americas.
“Anybody that’s doing that and selling it into our country is subject to attack,” Trump told reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House, referencing cocaine shipments originating from Colombia.
His comments drew an immediate response from Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who countered on X that Colombia dismantles a drug‑producing laboratory every 40 minutes — “without missiles.” Petro, who is personally sanctioned by the Trump administration, accused Trump of threatening Colombian sovereignty.
“Do not threaten our sovereignty, or you will awake the Jaguar,” Petro wrote. “Attacking our sovereignty is declaring war.”
The exchange comes as the Trump administration intensifies its operations against alleged drug‑trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific. In recent months, U.S. forces have conducted targeted missile strikes on boats, killing dozens, according to U.S. officials.
The U.S. military has also expanded its presence in the Caribbean, contributing to rising tensions between Washington and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whose country borders Colombia. The Trump administration alleges Maduro plays a central role in supplying illegal drugs that fuel U.S. overdoses — claims Maduro denies.
Trump on Tuesday broadened the scope of potential targets, saying the threat of U.S. strikes applied to “any country that was sending illegal drugs to the U.S., not just Venezuela.”
“I hear the country of Colombia is making cocaine, they have cocaine manufacturing plants, and then they sell us their cocaine,” Trump said.
