Within hours of President Donald Trump’s threat to levy a 25 percent tariff, impose a travel ban on all Colombians including government officials and enhanced inspections on all Colombian goods shipped to the U.S. after two repatriation flights of deportees on military planes were not allowed to land, Colombia has accepted all of President Trump’s terms.
Trump informed the public on Truth Social on Jan. 26 of the situation, stating, “I was just informed that two repatriation flights from the United States, with a large number of Illegal Criminals, were not allowed to land in Colombia. This order was given by Colombia’s Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who is already very unpopular amongst his people.”
Trump said that the denial of cooperation with the U.S. threatened national security and outlined the immediate response that he would use tariffs, travel bans and sanctions: “Petro’s denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States, so I have directed my Administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures… Emergency 25% tariffs on all goods coming into the United States. In one week, the 25% tariffs will be raised to 50%… A Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations on the Colombian Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters… Visa Sanctions on all Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government… Enhanced Customs and Border Protection Inspections of all Colombian Nationals and Cargo on national security grounds… IEEPA Treasury, Banking and Financial Sanctions to be fully imposed.”
Trump warned, “These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States!”
And just like that, Colombia immediately caved and decided to accept the deported illegal immigrants after all, with Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo rapidly issuing a Jan. 26 statement saying, “The Government of Colombia reports that we have overcome the impasse with the Government of the United States… We will continue to receive Colombian men and women who return as deportees…”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt then immediately claimed victory in a Jan. 26 statement saying, “The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay.”
This is Trump’s art of the deal as he continues his master class for future would-be presidents who want to be effective. The first step is to understand that the U.S. is very powerful and not to be trifled with. Good fences make good neighbors.
Apparently, and it might have been easy to forget this during the four years of former President Joe Biden’s tenure, but the U.S. is a global superpower and unquestionably the most powerful country in the world and particularly the western hemisphere, and economically alone, has significant leverage on her neighbors that want to do trade with and otherwise have access to the U.S.
And when that leverage is wielded, as Trump continues to do, suddenly countries want to cooperate and have talks and negotiations, whether it’s over cooperating on the millions of illegal aliens that have traveled to the U.S. from these countries the past four years, international trade issues or access to waterways like the Panama Canal or icy strategic points like Greenland — key Trump sticking points that are all currently being addressed.
Trump is reasserting the 1823 Monroe Doctrine to keep foreign powers out and U.S. dominance in the Americas, especially as it relates to protecting national and economic security.
Sometimes, as in the case of China, the tariffs come first and then the negotiations, but with other countries, Trump need only threaten to use tariffs, travel bans and other sanctions, and then relations and cooperation between the two countries are instantly improved, all by applying the same common sense that any good parent of children of understands.
On Truth Social, later on Jan. 26, Trump posted a meme of himself with a sign that read FAFO. You can look it up later.
Robert Romano is the Vice President of Public Policy at Americans for Limited Government Foundation.
