Colombian president Gustavo Petro and U.S. president Donald Trump signaled improved relations on Tuesday, February 3rd, following a White House meeting that appeared to ease tensions.
“My impression of the meeting a few hours ago is first and foremost that it was positive,” Petro told reporters after the closed-door talks.
The meeting came after months of strained relations, during which Trump had accused Petro of fueling cocaine trafficking into the United States and warned him to “watch his ass” after the fall of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro.
“He and I weren’t exactly the best of friends, but I wasn’t insulted because I never met him. I didn’t know him at all, and we got along very well,” Trump said at the White House.
Trump said the two countries were “working on” cooperation to combat drug trafficking and discussing the possible lifting of U.S. sanctions imposed on Colombia.
Photographs showed the two leaders seated together in the Oval Office alongside U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior Colombian officials. Trump also signed a copy of his 1987 book The Art of the Deal for Petro, writing, “You are great,” according to the images.
“We’re different, undoubtedly, by a lot. But frankness comes first,” Petro said.
