After a year marked by harsh verbal exchanges, threats and a tense bilateral relationship, the presidents of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, and of the United States, Donald Trump, met face to face this Tuesday in Washington, in a meeting that both described as friendly and positive.
Asked after the meeting whether they had addressed combat at drug trafficking (one of the most tense points in the relationship between both governments) Trump stated that “we worked on it and we got along very well.”
The balance of the official meeting between the presidents @PetroGustavo and Donald Trump frames fundamental issues such as freedom, cooperation and the fight against drug trafficking, where Colombia consolidates itself as a strategic ally thanks to its effective substitution policy… pic.twitter.com/naoXEBQY3A
— Colombian Presidency (@infopresidencia) February 4, 2026
The American president described the meeting as “very good” and He described Petro as “fantastic”reviewed cnn.
Trump acknowledged that before they met they did not have a close relationship. “He and I weren’t exactly the best of friends, but I didn’t feel offended because I had never met him. I didn’t know him at all,” he said.
Shortly after, Petro offered a press conference in which he assured that the meeting had been “positive” and that He was leaving the White House “with an air of optimism.”
The Colombian presidency issued a statement stating that thanks to the meeting, Colombia and the US had identified “a common bridge.”
“Joint paths”
The Colombian president himself pointed out that, despite their differences, they managed to find “joint paths.”
“Trump and I may be very different, civilizationally speaking, historically speaking, but what brings us together is freedom. You can make a pact for freedom, a pact for life, and that’s what the conversation is about,” Petro said.
The Colombian president explained that they talked about “concrete problems” and mentioned that they discussed how Colombia could help “in the reactivation of Venezuela,” without offering further details.
“He didn’t change his way of thinking, neither did I, but a pact is not between twin brothers, a pact is between contradictors who can find ways”he added.
According to the agency APthe meeting lasted almost two hours and represented a 180-degree turn with respect to previous weeks, when Trump had accused Petro of sending cocaine to the United States and had threatened to take military action against Colombia.
Gifts between Trump and Petro
During the meeting, Petro also invited Trump to visit the city of Cartagena. “I invited him to Cartagena, which I told him was a cool and beautiful place to live,” he declared.
Furthermore, he pointed out that requested the help of the American president to mediate in a growing war commercial between Colombia and Ecuador.
At the end of the meeting, Petro shared on social networks several gifts received from Trump.
Among them, a handwritten note from the American president on White House letterhead that read: “Gustavo: A great Honor. I love Colombia”accompanied by a photograph of both.
Trump also gave him a red cap with the motto MAGA (“Make America Great Again”), a common gesture with visitors to the White House. Petro reacted by writing an “s” at the end of the word America with a pen.
“I proposed to Donald Trump a change in fashion: putting an ‘S’ in America. He seems to like it. Americas,” the Colombian president wrote on his X account.
I proposed to Donald Trump a change in fashion: putting an “S” in America.
It seems like he liked it. Americas. pic.twitter.com/hdJbENRHZh
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) February 3, 2026
According to APTrump also gave Petro a copy of his book The Art of the Dealwith a signed dedication that said: “You are great.”
Petro published an image of the book and commented ironically on social networks: “What did Trump want to tell me with this dedication? I don’t understand English very much.”
During his visit to Washington DC, the President @PetroGustavo He pointed out that the meeting allowed a dialogue based on respect between different civilizations, and highlighted the importance of building agreements through dialogue and coexistence between the peoples of the continent to… pic.twitter.com/ZgMhsniWZ7
— Colombian Presidency (@infopresidencia) February 3, 2026
This Wednesday, the Colombian presidency reported from
