White House Rebukes Colombia’s Gustavo Petro Over Criticism of Caribbean Strikes; USS Gerald R. Ford Deployed

WASHINGTON – The White House has pushed back against Colombian President Gustavo Petro after he criticized U.S. military actions in the Caribbean that have killed dozens during strikes targeting narcotics traffickers. Since September, U.S. forces have struck 22 vessels, resulting in at least 83 deaths, according to CBS News. The response comes as the United States moves a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, into the Caribbean under U.S. Southern Command.

White House Response Targets Petro’s Drug Policy

In a statement to Military.com, a White House official sharply criticized Petro and defended U.S. operations aimed at disrupting regional drug trafficking networks.

“As President [Donald] Trump stated, Colombia President Gustavo Petro is an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs, despite large-scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long term ripoff of America,” a White House official told Military.com.

“Despite billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars invested in Colombia’s counterdrug efforts, cartels are thriving under Petro’s failed policies,” the White House official told Military.com. “It is hardly surprising that President Petro is opposed to President Trump’s successful operations to halt the flow of drugs to our country.”

Petro’s Critique and Call for a Multilateral Pact

In social media remarks on Sunday, Petro said Mexico and Colombia respect each other, and that Latin America and the Caribbean respect each other. He referenced a prior proposal to Gen. John Aquilino, former commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, for a broader regional-security dialogue that includes major Pacific nations.

“a meeting of the governments of the United States, China, Mexico and Colombia should now be included in Ecuador, Chile and Australia to analyze a treaty towards a Pacific without illegalities”.

Expanding on his position, Petro wrote: “Trafficking in fentanyl precursors, cocaine, contraband and weapons must be analyzed and treated together,” adding, “The impositions here only serve the mafias. I propose the same meeting again.”

He has previously discouraged U.S. threats against the Caribbean, Mexico and Colombia, calling such military actions “despotic” and saying they “serve no purpose.” He added: “May US Homeland Security not end up aiding the mafias,” urging a coordinated, non-military approach to drug trafficking and related crime.

Operations in the Caribbean: Strikes and Carrier Deployment

U.S. forces have struck 22 vessels since September, with at least 83 fatalities, CBS News reported. President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have defended the response to “narco-traffickers” who they say aim to move illegal drugs into the U.S. mainland.

In what some observers viewed as an escalation, the United States on Sunday deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford-the world’s largest aircraft carrier-to the Caribbean Sea under U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of SOUTHCOM, said in a statement: “Through unwavering commitment and the precise use of our forces, we stand ready to combat the transnational threats that seek to destabilize our region,” adding, “The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group’s deployment represents a critical step in reinforcing our resolve to protect the security of the Western Hemisphere and the safety of the American Homeland.”

Legal and Policy Scrutiny Intensifies

Questions persist over the scope of military action and congressional oversight, with some lawmakers and analysts pressing for clarity on authorizations for the ongoing strikes. New reporting from NPR states that in February, at an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces conference at the Justice Department’s National Advocacy Center on the University of South Carolina campus, then-acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove said that drug-fueled maritime interdiction was unnecessary and that the U.S. should “just sink the boats.”

Key Developments So Far

• 22 vessels struck since September; at least 83 deaths (CBS News).
• White House accuses Petro of enabling drug production; defends U.S. operations to block narcotics flows.
• Petro calls U.S. actions “despotic” and says they “serve no purpose”; renews proposal for a multinational anti-trafficking pact.
• USS Gerald R. Ford deployed to the Caribbean under SOUTHCOM.
• NPR highlights internal debate over maritime interdiction, citing the suggestion to “just sink the boats.”

Background and Regional Context

The Caribbean has long been a key corridor for cocaine and other contraband moving toward North America, with U.S. and partner nations conducting maritime interdiction to disrupt trafficking networks. Petro, Colombia’s president since 2022, has pushed for a shift away from militarized strategies, advocating coordinated international policy on fentanyl precursors, cocaine, contraband and weapons. The White House argues that intensified operations and naval deployments are necessary to deter cartels and protect the U.S. homeland.

Conclusion: Next Steps

As U.S. operations continue and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group patrols the Caribbean, diplomatic friction between Washington and Bogotá is rising. Petro is pressing for a multilateral summit, while the White House maintains that current operations are critical to regional security. Congressional oversight, regional diplomacy, and further details from U.S. defense officials are likely to shape the next phase of the anti-trafficking campaign.