The White House announced a resolution to a recent diplomatic spat with Colombia over the deportation of migrants.

The resolution came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened significant economic repercussions against Colombia.

The conflict began when Colombian President Gustavo Petro rejected two U.S. military aircraft carrying Colombian migrants back to their home country, citing the lack of dignity in how the migrants were being treated. In response, President Trump issued an immediate order for emergency 25% tariffs on all Colombian imports into the U.S., with plans to escalate these to 50% within a week. Additional measures included visa restrictions for Colombian government officials and allies, along with other sanctions.

As tensions rose, President Petro countered with a reciprocal 25% tariff increase on U.S. goods entering Colombia, signaling a potential trade war between the two nations, which have historically been close allies, particularly in anti-narcotics initiatives.

However, after intensive negotiations, the White House declared victory, stating that Colombia had agreed to accept deportation flights unconditionally, including those on U.S. military aircraft. This agreement led to the U.S. suspending the threatened tariffs and some sanctions, though visa restrictions would remain until the first successful deportation flight.

President Trump justified the initial harsh measures by asserting that Petro's refusal had "jeopardized" U.S. national security by obstructing deportation efforts. The White House portrayed this episode as a stark warning to other countries about the consequences of opposing U.S. policies on immigration.

The swift resolution underscores the volatile nature of international relations under the Trump administration's immigration policies, highlighting how quickly economic sanctions can be both threatened and withdrawn in the name of national interest. (ILKHA)