Trump calls Colombian president an 'illegal drug dealer' and announces an end to U.S. aid to the country

President Donald Trump said he would slash U.S. funding to Colombia because the country's leader "does nothing to stop" drug production

President Donald Trump said Sunday he would slash U.S. funding to Colombia because the country's leader "does nothing to stop" drug production, in what is the latest sign of friction between Washington and one of its closest allies in Latin America.

In a social media post, Trump referred to Colombian President Gustavo Petro as "an illegal drug dealer" who is "low rated and very unpopular." He warned that Petro "better close up" drug operations "or the United States will close them up for him, and it won't be done nicely."

Trump, while at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, wrote on his Truth Social platform that Petro is "strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs, in big and small fields" across Colombia, which the Republican president spelled as Columbia. "Petro does nothing to stop it, despite large scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long term rip off of America," Trump said.

"AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLUMBIA," Trump said. He also said Petro had "a fresh mouth toward America."

Earlier Sunday, Petro accused the U.S. government of assassination and demanded answers after the latest American strike in Caribbean waters. The U.S. said on Saturday it was repatriating to Colombia and Ecuador two survivors from that attack, the sixth since early September. At least 29 people have been killed in strikes that the U.S. has said are targeting alleged drug traffickers.