DORAL, FL—Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday applauded President Donald Trump for strong-arming the president of Colombia in a clash over tariffs and deportations.
“It was a message to Colombia and anyone else—you have to participate,“ Johnson said during a news conference at Trump’s golf resort outside Miami. ”You have to take back your illegals who came here... if not, then we will act and we will engage with sanctions or any other measures that are appropriate to back up the president’s agenda."
Colombian President Gustavo Petro acquiesced after initially rejecting U.S. military aircraft carrying migrants back to the Latin American ally.
ADVERTISEMENT
Johnson said he was meeting with donors and party officials during the House GOP issues retreat when he saw the pushback from Petro against Trump.
“And as soon as Colombia pushed back against the White House, I went immediately to social media,” Johnson said Monday.
“Violent criminals from other nations will be the first to be deported and countries must participate,” the speaker said, adding, “Congress will back up the White House and we will move as necessary on any country—this was a message to Colombia and anyone else, you have to participate.”
Johnson’s comments came shortly before Trump’s scheduled remarks to the House GOP Conference at their annual conference—this year, held at the president’s resort in Doral.
Trump announced an agreement had been reached on Sunday to avert a trade war, with the U.S. threatening retaliatory, blanket 25-percent tariffs on goods including coffee and crude oil.
“The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Sunday.
