Trump invites Colombian president to White House following threats

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday extended an invitation to Colombian President Gustavo Petro to visit the White House, coming just days after he had threatened Petro with possible military action over alleged drug trafficking.

Trump and Petro held their first direct phone conversation since Trump resumed office, during which the Colombian leader “explained the situation of drugs and other disagreements,” the US president said on social media. Trump described the exchange as positive and said he looked forward to meeting Petro at the White House in the near future. 

The outreach follows a period of heightened tensions after Trump’s comments last weekend, when he accused Petro of involvement in cocaine production and hinted that US military intervention in Colombia “sounds good to me,” remarks that came after a controversial US military operation in Venezuela. 

Despite the sharp rhetoric — including sanctions on Petro and his family — both sides signaled an interest in easing tensions and restarting diplomatic dialogue.