White House says Colombia agreed to Trump's deportation terms after tariff standoff
The saga began earlier Sunday when Colombia denied entry to deportation flights from the U.S., prompting Trump to threaten retaliatory tariffs, among other measures.
White House says Colombia agreed to Trump's deportation terms after tariff standoffThe saga began earlier Sunday when Colombia denied entry to deportation flights from the U.S., prompting Trump to threaten retaliatory tariffs, among other measures.Pinterest
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White House says Colombia agreed to Trump's deportation terms after tariff standoff
The saga began earlier Sunday when Colombia denied entry to deportation flights from the U.S., prompting Trump to threaten retaliatory tariffs, among other measures.
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Trump threatens tariffs against Colombia after it rejected deportation flights
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Jan. 26, 2025, 10:56 PM GMT+6 / Updated Jan. 27, 2025, 10:01 AM GMT+6
By Gabe Gutierrez, Courtney Kube, Alexandra Marquez and Raquel Coronell Uribe
The White House said Sunday that Colombia has agreed to all of President Donald Trump’s terms after Trump threatened to impose sweeping retaliatory measures against it, including tariffs and visa sanctions, after it denied entry to two U.S. military deportation flights.
"The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
Leavitt said Trump's proposed actions on tariffs and sanctions "will be held in reserve, and not signed, unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement."
Other measures announced earlier Sunday, including visa sanctions and "enhanced inspections" by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, "will remain in effect until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned."
Colombian Foreign Affairs Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said in remarks delivered in Spanish that the country “will continue to receive Colombians deported, guaranteeing them dignified conditions as citizens subject to rights.”
“The government, under the leadership of Gustavo Petro, has at its disposal the presidential plane to receive the Colombians that would have been deported today,” he continued on the brief livestream. “Colombia reiterates that the diplomatic channels for interlocution will be open to maintain the rights, the national interest and the dignity of our citizens.”
The saga began earlier Sunday when Colombia denied entry to deportation flights from the United States, prompting Trump to threaten retaliatory tariffs, among other measures.
"These measures are just the beginning. 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!" Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier Sunday.
Officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Defense Department had confirmed to NBC News that the flights were denied.
The flights, carried out on U.S. military C-17 aircraft, departed from California carrying about 80 Colombian migrants each, the defense official said.
In response, Trump announced on Truth Social sweeping retaliatory measures that include tariffs on Colombian imports, visa sanctions on government officials and allies, enhanced customs inspections and financial penalties, as the United States accuses Colombia of violating its obligations to accept deported nationals.
Trump justified the measures by writing that "Petro’s denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States."
He added that the tariffs on Colombian imports would start at 25% on all goods and would rise to 50% in one week.
The retaliatory measures also include "A Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations on the Colombian Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters," Trump wrote, as well as "Visa Sanctions on all Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government."The retaliatory measures also include "A Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations on the Colombian Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters," Trump wrote, as well as "Visa Sanctions on all Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks in Bogotá on June 26Initially cleared for landing, the flights were grounded after Petro suddenly revoked all diplomatic clearances for them, the official said.
