Trump threatened to launch military operations against the Colombian government after recently conducting a lightning operation to arrest Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, stating that Colombia is seriously ill.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that Colombia is a seriously ill country governed by a sick leader who favors cocaine production and its export to the United States. This statement was widely seen as a direct reference to Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
When a reporter asked bluntly whether the US was considering military action against Colombia, Trump replied, "That sounds good to me."
The threat came after the US carried out a bold operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, subsequently detaining him in New York to face charges related to an international drug trafficking network.
Earlier, Trump announced that the US would take control of Venezuela and deploy American companies to restore the severely damaged oil infrastructure, emphasizing that Venezuelan oil would be used for the economic benefit of the US and its allies.
However, Venezuela's interim government, led by acting President Delcy Rodríguez, issued a statement on Sunday affirming the country's unity and continued support for Maduro.
Rodríguez, who assumed the acting presidency with endorsement from Venezuela's Supreme Court, also affirmed that Maduro remains the legitimate president and denied Trump's claims that she was willing to cooperate with the US.
In a telephone interview with The Atlantic magazine, Trump threatened that Rodríguez would pay a much higher price, possibly more than Maduro, if she did not do what he called the right thing.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear how Trump would practically govern or control Venezuela, with analysts warning that such an approach could cost him support from some voters opposed to foreign military intervention.
Although Maduro's arrest shocked the world, sources close to the matter revealed that the operation had been planned for many months and rehearsed thoroughly.
Elite US special forces, including the Army's Delta Force, constructed a realistic mock-up of Maduro's fortified residence to train for the capture operation.
Sources disclosed that the CIA deployed a small ground team since August to gather intelligence on Maduro's lifestyle, enabling a smooth arrest.
Additionally, two other sources reported that the CIA had informants close to Maduro monitoring his movements and providing real-time location updates during the operation.
Reports state that the final green light for the operation was approved by Trump at 10:46 p.m. Eastern US time on Friday night.
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