Fresh off a dramatic military strike in Venezuela, President Donald Trump is already turning his sights elsewhere and Colombia may be next in line. Speaking bluntly to reporters, Trump issued a chilling warning to Colombian President Gustavo Petro following the US operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The strike, carried out under cover of heavy bombardment in Caracas, ended with Maduro being flown to New York, where US officials say he will face prosecution.
Trump made it clear he is not backing down and suggested Petro should take notice of what just happened next door. Talking about the Colombian president, Trump said: “He is making cocaine and they’re sending it into the United States, so he does have to watch his a**.” The remark instantly set off alarm bells across Latin America, where fears are growing that Trump’s aggressive anti-drug campaign could soon expand beyond Venezuela
🚨 BOOM 💥 This might be the most SAVAGE post Trump’s dropped in a long time.
MADURO: “Come for me! Don’t wait too long, COWARD!”
TRUMP: Message received.
Then he ACTED.
Maduro ran his mouth.
Trump responded the only way he does.
Loud. Fast. Decisive. pic.twitter.com/OqnnVB6sAq
— Charlie’s Voice Rising (@CharlieK_news) January 3, 2026
Petro, a left-wing leader and outspoken critic of US military involvement in the region, has repeatedly condemned Trump’s deployment of American forces in the Caribbean. He has accused Washington of escalating tensions under the banner of fighting drug trafficking. After the US assault on Venezuela, Petro blasted the operation as an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America and warned it could trigger a humanitarian disaster across the region.
Trump has only fueled those fears. In recent remarks, he refused to rule out direct US strikes on alleged drug-production laboratories inside Colombia. Petro responded by calling such language a threat of invasion. The dramatic showdown comes as the world is still reeling from the stunning fall of Maduro.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, US forces launched coordinated strikes on Caracas and other strategic locations across Venezuela. By the end of the operation, Maduro and his wife were in American custody. They were transported to New York and are currently being held at a detention facility in Brooklyn.
🚨HOLY COW: Colombian President Gustavo Petro just went after Trump:
“A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy. To keep Epstein’s list from coming out, they send warships to kill fishermen & threaten our neighbor with invasion for their oil.”
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) January 4, 2026
US officials say the former Venezuelan president and first lady will be prosecuted on charges related to drug trafficking and conspiring against the United States. Trump, meanwhile, has gone even further, declaring that the United States will effectively “run” Venezuela until what he called a “safe transition” of power can be arranged. The statement has sparked outrage among critics who see it as open-ended US occupation.
Behind the scenes, senior American officials have reportedly hinted that Venezuela may not be the end of Trump’s overseas crackdown. Cuba and Mexico have both been mentioned as possible future targets as the administration ramps up its war on drugs and what it describes as hostile regimes. For now, Colombia seems to be in the eye of cyclone. The US President has openly warned Petro to “watch his a**,” and has further refused to rule out military action, which has eventually increased tensions in between Washington and Bogota. In Latin America, the message is being heard loud and clear: after Venezuela, no one feels untouchable.
