President Donald Trump said Sunday he would slash U.S. funding to Colombia because the country’s leader “does nothing to stop” drug production, in what is the latest sign of friction between Washington and one of its closest allies in Latin America.

In a social media post, Trump referred to Colombian President Gustavo Petro as “an illegal drug dealer” who is “low rated and very unpopular.” He warned that Petro “better close up” drug operations “or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.” Colombia's defense minister, Pedro Sánchez, defending Petro and the nation's drug-fighting commitment, said, "If there’s a country that has used all its capabilities and also lost men and women fighting drug trafficking ... it’s Colombia.”

Trump, while at his Mar-a-Lago

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