Trump Has "Very Good Meeting" With Previously Feuding Colombian President

Financial News reported, citing Agence France-Presse (AFP) and other foreign media, that U.S. President Donald Trump expressed satisfaction after meeting Colombian President Gustavo Petro at the White House in Washington, D.C., on the 3rd local time, suggesting that the bad blood between the two leaders has eased.
Trump noted that he had never met Petro before and did not know him well, but said they were "getting along very well."
Petro also described the meeting as "very positive" in comments to reporters.
Shortly before the talks, he wrote on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that the two countries would "strengthen bilateral relations so that both nations share the common goal of fighting drug trafficking."
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and senior Colombian government officials also attended the meeting.
After the arrest and transfer of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump had repeatedly warned Petro to "be careful," claiming Colombian cocaine was flowing into the United States.
Petro, who shares a left-leaning political stance with Maduro, had defended him up until the Venezuelan leader was seized and extradited by U.S. special forces.
He had also criticized U.S. airstrikes on vessels suspected of transporting drugs.
Trump, for his part, had even threatened military action, accusing Colombia of failing to crack down on drug trafficking.
However, after the two leaders held a phone call on the 7th of last month, relations began to improve and they agreed to hold a summit.
Because of concerns that the meeting could lead to a clash between the two leaders, reporters' access to the Oval Office was restricted that day.
Trump said they were discussing joint efforts with Colombia on drug enforcement and announced that sanctions on Colombia would be lifted.
After the meeting, President Petro and the Colombian presidential office released numerous photos.
Trump wrote a handwritten note in his autobiography reading, "You are great," and presented it to Petro, who commented, "I like Americans who are frank. It is also clear that we are different from each other."
He also said Trump had agreed to step in as a mediator in the trade war between Colombia and Ecuador.


jjyoon@fnnews.com Reporter Yoon Jae-joon Reporter