Trump and Petro close a chapter of tensions in the White House
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro met at the White House for more than two hours. The meeting was held behind closed doors, without the presence of the press, seeking to revitalise a bilateral connection that was close to breaking down in 2025.
Trump himself said the meeting was ‘fantastic’ and ‘very good,’ showing a clear difference from his public attitude in recent weeks. ‘We worked on several important issues,’ said Trump, who mentioned a close relationship between the two after the meeting. He indicated that there is a willingness to cooperate in the fight against drug trafficking and other security issues. Petro, according to himself, felt that the dialogue was ‘optimistic’.
He left Washington with the impression of having found ‘common ground’, although he admitted that they still have different views on some issues. The Colombian president stated after the meeting that what unites them is freedom, and that the meeting with Mr. Trump was, so to speak, ‘almost perfect.’ After months of mutual insults, Trump praises the White House talks with the ‘terrific’ Petro.
Issues discussed and symbolic gestures
Among the issues addressed were the fight against drug trafficking, regional security, the economic revival of Venezuela and cooperation on illicit crops. Petro also proposed ideas on energy, including ways to revive Venezuela through gas projects involving Colombia and the United States.
Trump, in his statements, noted that they would continue to work together in the fight against drugs and that there was ‘great interest in collaborating’ despite differences in approach.
The atmosphere of the meeting was described as cordial. Trump gave Petro a handwritten note saying ‘A great honour. Love to Colombia,’ along with a cap with the MAGA campaign slogan, which Petro symbolically modified to refer to ‘the Americas.’ Petro, in turn, brought a copy of the book The Art of the Deal for Trump to sign, an image that both shared on official social media accounts.
Context of the meeting
The meeting comes after a period of high tension that included, among other episodes, the revocation of Petro's US visa, sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department and Trump's accusations about the Colombian government's anti-drug efforts. These tensions had eroded the traditional perception of stability in relations between the two countries.
Despite this, the meeting represented an attempt to rebuild the relationship. Petro avoided directly mentioning his inclusion on sanctions lists and focused on highlighting the willingness to cooperate with the United States ‘between opponents who can find points of agreement’.
Reactions and pending challenges
Diplomatic sources point out that this dialogue, although positive in tone, does not guarantee immediate results or the resolution of all the accumulated tensions. Analysts warn that disagreements over crop eradication policies, the approach to drugs and other structural issues could put the relationship under strain again if concrete progress is not made in the coming weeks.
In Colombia, both critics and allies of the government have praised the meeting as a key moment that could influence international perceptions of the country and its relations with strategic allies.
Overall, the White House meeting has left gestures of cooperation and public statements that contrast sharply with the confrontational tone of 2025, although it remains to be seen whether these gestures will translate into concrete agreements in the short term.