US suspends tariffs after Colombia agrees to repatriate flights

The White House says the US will not move forward with tariffs on Colombia, after the country agreed to accept – without restrictions – deported migrants.

Donald Trump had ordered a 25% duty on all Colombian goods after its president blocked two military deportation flights from landing in the country on Sunday.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially responded by saying that his country would accept deportees on “civilian planes, without treating them like criminals.”

The White House statement says Colombia has now agreed to accept migrants arriving on US military aircraft “without restrictions or delays.” Colombia says Washington has agreed to treat repatriated citizens with dignity.

On Sunday, he denied Petro from entering US military deportation flights, saying migrants should return “with dignity and respect.”

In response, Trump announced “urgent and decisive retaliatory measures” in a post on his social media site, including tariffs and visa sanctions.

Petro responded to X in a post announcing his own tariff and celebrating Colombia’s heritage and resilience.

“Your blockade does not frighten me, because Colombia, besides being a country of beauty, is the heart of the world,” he said.

Within hours, the two sides appeared to have resolved the row. The White House said Colombia agreed to “all of President Trump’s demands.”

Trump’s proposed tariffs were “fully drafted” and would still be implemented if Colombia did not honor that agreement, according to the White House.

Trump also announced visa sanctions and enhanced checks on Colombians at the border. These will remain in place “until the first Columbian reload of deportees is completed successfully,” the White House said.