Trump announces retaliatory measures as Colombia blocks military deportation planes from the US

President Trump pledged immediate and harsh response on Sunday after the Colombian government stopped the arrival of deportation aircraft from the United States, objecting to the Trump administration's plans to deport migrants using military jets.

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he will apply broad punitive measures against Colombia, including tariffs and visa bans, after the country denied access to two US military deportation aircraft.

On Sunday, Trump announced on social media that his government will impose a 25% duty on all Colombian goods entering the United States, which he said would be increased to 50% after one week.

He also ordered a travel ban and "immediate visa revocation" for Colombian government officials and "their allies," visa restrictions on Colombian authorities and their family, and increased customs checks of Colombian travelers and cargo.

"These measures are just the beginning," Mr. Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. "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!"

Earlier on Sunday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he opposed the deportation flights since the detainees were being taken aboard military planes, stating that such a measure treated migrants like criminals.

"The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them," Petro wrote on social media. He added that he would accept deportation flights, as long as they were conducted on civilian planes.

As part of the crackdown, President Trump declared a national emergency and deployed an additional 1,500 Army soldiers and Marines to the southern border. The military have been tasked to install border barriers and assist Customs and Border Protection in an operational role. Long-standing legal constraints prohibit the deployment of military for civil enforcement of laws, including US immigration law.

Earlier this week, the administration deployed military planes to deport Guatemalan migrants who had illegally crossed the southern border back to Guatemala, touting the operation as the beginning of a larger deportation effort.

This comes after Mexico momentarily prevented two US flights carrying 80 passengers each from landing last week, disrupting deportation operations and escalating tensions. While the situation was subsequently addressed, Mexican authorities have expressed objections to the United States' unilateral immigration policy.