Colombian President Gustavo Petro intensified his war of words with President Donald J. Trump on Monday night, telling Univision that “getting rid of” Trump might be necessary—remarks that have drawn sharp condemnation in both Washington and Bogotá.
“Humanity has a first offramp, it is to choose to change Trump in various ways,” Petro said during the interview. “The easiest way may be through Trump himself. If not—get rid of Trump,” he added, snapping his fingers for emphasis.
The incendiary comment marked the latest escalation in the Colombian leader’s feud with Trump, who has repeatedly criticized Petro’s handling of the drug trade and his growing alignment with leftist regimes in Latin America. Trump has called Petro a “lunatic” and “the worst president they’ve ever had,” accusing him of allowing Colombia’s cocaine production to soar while cozying up to Venezuela’s authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro.
🚨#BREAKING In an interview with @UniNoticias, Colombia’s narcoterrorist-in-chief, Gustavo Petro, has just threatened to “overthrow” President Trump.
Petro threats must be taken seriously, he is a genuine threat to the safety & security of our hemisphere.pic.twitter.com/L2JMGKMUF0
— Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) October 21, 2025
In the interview, Petro—Colombia’s first openly Marxist president—acknowledged that his government continues to struggle against violent drug cartels and corruption but rejected Trump’s suggestion that Colombia is “out of control.” “Of course, it is out of his control,” Petro said. “In a democracy, a government is under the control of the people, not Trump. He is not a king in Colombia; we do not accept kings here, period.”
The Colombian leader went on to frame his criticism in sweeping ideological terms. “In the 21st century, some believe they can become kings and viceroys,” he said. “But in republics, it is not possible. Here, the heads of kings are cut off if they come with a king’s attitude.”
Petro’s remarks appeared to respond directly to Trump’s efforts to pressure Colombia to combat its cocaine exports and to distance itself from Maduro’s socialist government. The president has long argued that American taxpayer money should not support countries that enable the drug trade or back anti-U.S. regimes.
“The America First leader has vowed to halt all payments to the Latin American country over its cocaine production and renewed support of neighboring Venezuela’s dictator, Nicolás Maduro,” the National Pulse reported.
Since September, the United States military has been conducting targeted airstrikes against Venezuelan drug boats in the Caribbean, part of what the Trump administration describes as a broader campaign to dismantle criminal cartels throughout Latin America. Earlier this month, Trump formally notified Congress that the U.S. is engaged in an official “armed conflict” with those cartels.
Petro’s defiant tone reflects growing friction between the United States and leftist governments across the region. His invocation of violence—suggesting that “heads of kings are cut off”—underscored the ideological chasm separating Washington’s America First policy from Latin America’s socialist bloc.
While Petro framed his comments as a defense of national sovereignty, his rhetoric risks deepening Colombia’s isolation from its most critical ally. Trump, for his part, has made clear that under his leadership, U.S. foreign aid and military cooperation would be contingent on governments’ willingness to stand with Washington against organized crime and authoritarianism.
For Trump’s supporters, Petro’s words serve as a reminder of what they see as the global resistance to America’s reassertion of strength under his leadership—and the dangers of a return to the soft diplomacy that once defined U.S. policy in the region.
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