Trump hits Colombia with tariffs, sanctions after it refuses deportation flights

Why it matters: The Latin American country has long been a crucial U.S. ally, even under the tenure of leftist President Gustavo Petro.

• The U.S. is Colombia's largest trade and investment partner, with over $39 billion in goods and services traded between both countries in 2022, according to the U.S. State Department.

Catch up quick: Petro ordered Colombian officials to turn away military planes carrying deportees this weekend. He said in a post on X that the U.S. cannot treat Colombian migrants like criminals and should return them on civilian flights.

• "I can't force migrants to stay in a country where they're not wanted, but that country should return them with dignity and respect toward them and also our country," Petro wrote.

Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that he was imposing emergency 25% tariffs on all goods coming into the U.S. from Colombia, a travel ban on Colombian government officials and other major financial sanctions in response to the refusal to accept the flights.

Of note: Petro said in response on X he had ordered Colombia's foreign trade minister to "raise tariffs on imports from the U.S. to 25%."

• He added: "The ministry should help direct our exports to the rest of the world, other than the U.S. Our exports must expand."

State of play: In one week, Trump wrote, the tariffs will rise to 50%.

• Beyond the travel ban and tariffs, the president said he directed his administration to revoke visas for Colombian government officials and place visa sanctions on all party and family members, as well as supporters, of the Colombian government.
• Additionally, he ordered enhanced inspections of Colombian nationals and cargo "on national security grounds."

Meanwhile, Petro has arranged for his presidential plane to help repatriate Colombians deported from the U.S., per a statement from the Colombian president's office.

• "The measure responds to the government's commitment to guarantee dignified conditions," the statement added.

What they're saying: "These measures are just the beginning," Trump wrote. "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!"

Zoom out: Trump throughout his campaign vowed to expel millions of undocumented people from the U.S. — and during his first week in office, his immigration crackdown began with a series of sweeping executive orders.

• Tom Homan, Trump's "border czar," told ABC News that the U.S. government will conduct deportation flights every day. The administration issued a new rule Tuesday that dramatically expanded expedited removal for immigrants who cannot prove they have continually lived in the U.S. for the past two years.
• The Pentagon announced Wednesday that it would send an additional 1,500 troops to the southern border as Trump declared a national emergency in the region, and the administration is working to secure more aircraft to speed up deportations.
• Two Air Force C-17 cargo planes carrying migrants removed from the U.S. landed Friday morning in Guatemala, the Associated Press reported. Another two deportation flights touched down on the same day in Honduras.
• Another flight to Brazil landed on Saturday, prompting outrage from the nation's government when those on the flight arrived in handcuffs which the foreign ministry called a "flagrant disregard" for the rights of the 88 passengers.

What we're watching: Trump's retaliatory tariffs could further increase already surging coffee prices, meaning a pricier cup of joe for American consumers, Axios' Ben Berkowitz reports.

• According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Colombia is also a leading supplier of flowers to the U.S. The country provided about 37% of U.S. cut flower and nursery stock value from 2018 to 2022.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.