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President Donald Trump made it abundantly clear this weekend nothing is going to stand in the way of his sweeping plans to restore America’s territorial integrity.
One day after Colombian president Gustavo Petro refused to permit a pair of U.S. military flights containing numerous illegal aliens to land on his country’s soil, Trump vowed harsh retaliatory measures against the South American nation.
“The U.S. cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals,” Petro wrote on X. “I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory. The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.”
Trump responded on Sunday (January 26, 2025) with the proverbial hammer…
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“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 platform. “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…”
Trump proceeded to lay out the imposition of an immediate 25% tariff on all goods coming into the U.S. – with a promise to raise this tariff to 50% the following week. He also imposed a travel ban and “immediate visa revocations” on Colombian government officials “and all allies and supporters.”
Visa sanctions were imposed on “all party members, family members and supporters of the Colombian government,” while enhanced border inspections of all “Colombian nationals and cargo” were ordered.
“These measures are just the beginning,” Trump continued. “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!”
Within hours, Colombia announced a reversal of course…
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? #Atención | El Presidente @PetroGustavo dispone avión presidencial para el retorno digno de connacionales y liderará esfuerzos en la Asamblea Extraordinaria de la CELAC. pic.twitter.com/6ML5c8qjOp
— Presidencia Colombia ?? (@infopresidencia) January 26, 2025
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According to the statement, Petro authorized the use of his presidential plane “to facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots who were to arrive in the country from deportation flights.”
“This measure responds to the government’s commitment to guarantee dignified conditions,” Petro’s statement continued. “In no way have Colombians, as patriots and subjects of rights, been banished or will be banished from Colombian territory.”
Trump celebrated the victory with the following post on Truth Social…
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While Colombia is not among the United States’ major trading partners, Trump’s swift and decisive invocation of retaliatory measures sent a clear and unambigious message to any nation considering blocking his deportation flights.
Or opposing him in any capacity…
“The speed and severity with which Trump unveiled his latest set of weaponized sanctions is an indication of just how ruthless and relentless (he) will be when dealing with other, much bigger trade partners,” the website Zero Hedge opined. “Anyone hoping that Trump was just bluffing about tariffs on China, Europe, or NAFTA member states, is about to get a very nasty surprise.”
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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2 comments
Much was made in the news of the $800,000 cost of the flight for 80 illegal aliens. Let’s do a little math:
1. # of these were people who were or should be in jail: 80
2. Average cost of keeping a prisoner in jail per year: x $33,274
3. Cost (per year) pf keeping these miscreants here: =$2,994,660
Looks like a good deal to me…
Since his last term, I have been no great fan or supporter of Trump. That said, I support his actions on this issue 100%. I hope he keeps it up!