Trump and Petro Meet at White House, Signal Cautious Thaw on Drug Control

Overview

• Gustavo Petro called the two-hour, closed-door meeting "positive" and posted photos of gifts from Donald Trump, including a signed book and a MAGA cap.
• Both sides discussed efforts against cocaine trafficking, with Petro urging joint action to pursue high‑level traffickers based abroad and raising potential transit of Venezuelan gas through Colombia.
• Petro said Trump agreed to mediate the tariff dispute with Ecuador, while Trump told reporters he is working to lift sanctions imposed on the Colombian leader.
• Journalists were not allowed into the Oval Office, and the White House press secretary said no detailed readout was available shortly after the meeting.
• The encounter follows months of U.S. accusations and penalties tied to Colombia's drug fight, with UN data showing a 10% rise in coca cultivation in 2023 and analysts warning that lack of concrete follow‑through could trigger renewed aid cuts or tariffs.