Trump pausing Colombia tariffs after migrants deal, White House says
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Colombian President Gustavo Petro in Bogota in May. Photo: Raul Arboleda/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump won't impose tariffs on Colombia after the government agreed to accept all of his terms — including receiving Colombians deported from the U.S., White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Sunday night.
Why it matters: It's a dramatic turnaround given Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced retaliatory tariffs hours after Trump said earlier Sunday he'd impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Colombia, which is a leading supplier of coffee and flowers in the U.S.
The latest: Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said in a statement late Sunday the country's government had "overcome the impasse" with the U.S. and the nation's presidential plane was "ready to facilitate the return of Colombians who were going to arrive in the country this morning on deportation flights."
What they're saying: "The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump's terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay," Leavitt said in a statement.
- "Based on this agreement, the fully drafted IEEPA tariffs and sanctions will be held in reserve, and not signed, unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement," she said.
"Today's events make clear to the world that America is respected again. President Trump will continue to fiercely protect our nation's sovereignty, and he expects all other nations of the world to fully cooperate in accepting the deportation of their citizens illegally present in the United States."— White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt
Yes, but: Leavitt said the State Department-issued visa sanctions and "enhanced inspections from Customs and Border Protection" will "remain in effect until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned."
The intrigue: Petro initially reposted the White House statement announcing Trump's decision that Leavitt posted to X, but appears to have since rescinded this action.
State of play: Trump said on Truth Social early Sunday he would target Colombia with other sanctions in addition to the tariffs imposed over the refusal to accept flights — including a travel ban on government officials and financial penalties.
- Petro had ordered Colombian officials to turn away U.S. military planes carrying deportees, but later said he had arranged for his presidential plane to help repatriate Colombians.
- Trump's threat to impose tariffs and other sanctions on Colombia after the Latin American country refused to accept two deportation flights from the U.S. briefly ignited fears of a further surge in already high coffee prices, Axios' Ben Berkowitz notes.
What we're watching: Murillo and other top Colombian officials will travel to Washington, D.C., in the coming days for high-level meetings to follow up on the agreements, per the foreign minister's statement.
Background: Colombia has remained a key U.S. ally under the tenure of leftist leader Petro, per Axios' Astrid Galván and Avery Lotz.
- "Colombia is also the United States' third-largest trade partner in Latin America and U.S.-owned affiliates account for more than 90,000 jobs in Colombia," according to the State Department.
- The U.S. is the largest trade and investment partner of Colombia, with more than $39.3 billion in goods and services traded in 2022 amid "large investments" in the mining and manufacturing sectors, per the State Department.
Go deeper: Trump's Colombia tariff threat raises fears on coffee prices
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
