Colombian President Says World Must ‘Get Rid Of Trump,’ Referenced Killing ‘Kings’ As Feud Over Drug War Escalates

Colombian President Gustavo Petro sparked outrage after suggesting in a televised interview that the world should “get rid of” President Donald Trump and that in Columbia, such “kings” are gruesomely killed, an alarming remark against a president who endured two assassination attempts amid a deepening standoff over the U.S. crackdown on narcotics trafficking in South America.

The comment came shortly after Trump vowed to shut down the “killing fields” in Colombia and slash U.S. funding for the country, following Petro’s accusation that the U.S. committed “murder” during a Sept. 15 strike on a suspected drug boat.

“Humanity has a first offramp, it is to choose to change Trump in various ways,” Petro told Univision’s Daniel Coronell when pressed about his strategy for improving U.S.–Colombia relations. “The easiest way may be through Trump himself,” he added. “If not — get rid of Trump,” he said, snapping his fingers dramatically.

Petro later insisted that his objective was not to personally “change Trump,” despite Coronell’s suggestion that his main “mission” was to achieve a favorable deal for Colombia.

The Colombian leader acknowledged his nation’s turmoil but dismissed Trump’s claim that Colombia was “out of control.” “Of course, it is out of his control. 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,” Petro said.

“In the 21st century, some believe they can become kings and viceroys, but in republics, it is not possible,” he added. “Here, the heads of kings are cut off if they come with a king’s attitude.”

Tensions between the two presidents have mounted since Trump’s administration authorized a September strike on an alleged drug vessel. Trump maintained that those killed were “confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela” operating in international waters.

Petro rejected that claim, alleging the targeted boat was Colombian and engaged in fishing, not smuggling. “U.S. government officials have committed a murder and violated our sovereignty in territorial waters,” Petro wrote on X. “The Colombian boat was adrift and had its distress signal up due to an engine failure. We await explanations from the U.S. government.”

A subsequent CNN report cited Pentagon sources who said another U.S. strike in the Caribbean had killed Colombian nationals. Trump then fired back on Sunday, calling Petro “a very unpopular leader, with a fresh mouth toward America” and “an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs.”

In addition to cutting off foreign aid, Trump threatened to raise tariffs on Colombian goods beyond the current 10 percent rate. The U.S. has already provided more than $207 million in assistance to Colombia this year, according to federal data.

Petro’s combative rhetoric drew condemnation from U.S. lawmakers. Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), a member of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees, warned on X, “In an interview with [Univision Noticias], 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.”

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