Trump Threatens, Withdraws Possible Sanctions Against Colombia Over Migrants
Hours after President Donald Trump threatened to impose sanctions, tariffs and visa restrictions against Colombia for declining to accept a plane of deported migrants from the U.S., the White House said Colombia reversed course and agreed to the “unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens.”
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“Based on this agreement, the fully drafted [International Emergency Economic Powers Act] tariffs and sanctions will be held in reserve, and not signed, unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an emailed statement late Jan. 26.
Trump earlier in the day said he had ordered various U.S. agencies to impose trade and financial restrictions against Colombia after the country’s president, Gustavo Petro, didn't allow a U.S. plane carrying the migrants to land. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “Petro’s denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States,” and he directed his administration to “immediately” impose certain retaliatory measures, including: “IEEPA Treasury, Banking and Financial Sanctions to be fully imposed.”
Trump had also called for an emergency 25% tariff on all imports from Colombia, which was to rise to 50% in one week. In response, Petro threatened to impose similar tariffs against U.S. exports entering Colombia.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., backed up Trump's threats, warning that Congress was “fully prepared to pass sanctions and other measures against those that do not fully cooperate or follow through on requirements to accept their citizens who are illegally in the United States.”