Trump's next target: "An operation in Colombia sounds good to me"

Asked about an operation in Colombia on Sunday aboard Air Force One, US President Donald Trump said it "sounds good to me," describing the country as "run by a sick man, who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States, and he's not going to be doing it very long," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, in an apparent reference to Colombia's President Gustavo Petro.

His comments came days after a US operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

Petro responded with a detailed statement, saying he is first examining the precise meaning of Trump’s remarks but described them as an "illegitimate threat." Petro rejected claims by US officials, including Senator Marco Rubio, that he is not cooperating with authorities, calling them “false information originating from political actors in the country.”

The Colombian president emphasized that, as Colombia’s commander-in-chief under the constitution, he has directed the army and police to tackle drug trafficking. He cited steps including extensive cocaine seizures, reduction of coca cultivation in favor of legal crops, and operations against armed groups involved in the drug trade.

The Colombian president warned that foreign military action could endanger civilians, including minors, and stressed that any officer prioritizing foreign interests over the Colombian flag would be dismissed from their post.

In the same remarks aboard Air Force 1 on Sunday, Trump also addressed several other countries. He accused Mexican authorities of failing to curb drug trafficking, saying cartels are “running Mexico,” and warned the US could act if the flow of drugs continues. Trump said the US “needs Greenland from a national security situation,” citing what he described as Russian and Chinese ship activity in the area. He also warned that Venezuela’s acting leader, Delcy Rodriguez, would face consequences if she did not “do what’s right,” and criticized Colombia’s leadership over cocaine production.

Trump’s remarks follow his dramatic announcement on Saturday regarding Venezuela. He said President Maduro and his wife had been captured during a US operation and deported from the country as part of a broader offensive targeting Caracas and other regions.

The United States also filed an indictment against Maduro and his wife, charging them with conspiracy to engage in narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weapons against the US.