President Donald Trump’s team was reportedly caught off guard by Colombia’s actions on Sunday, which led to a quick response from Trump that drew criticism online.
Trump announced “emergency” tariffs and other measures against Colombia after the country refused to accept at least two deportation flights. According to CNN, Colombian officials unexpectedly rejected the flights, which carried migrants, surprising Trump’s administration.
Experts and critics on social media reacted strongly to Trump’s tariff decision.
Economist Justin Wolfers commented, “Trump is making Americans pay higher taxes to retaliate against Colombia.”
Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also criticized the move, pointing out that the tariffs would raise prices for American consumers. She said, “To punish Colombia, Trump is going to make coffee even more expensive for every American.” She added, “Remember, we are the ones paying the tariffs, not Colombia. Trump’s actions are only making inflation worse for working Americans while benefiting the wealthy elite.”
Another Democratic lawmaker, Ruben Gallego, criticized the administration’s approach, saying, “This issue could’ve been resolved with a simple phone call.” He explained that Colombia has been a key partner in stopping millions of migrants from entering the U.S. and argued that Trump’s approach risks harming the strong relationship between the two countries. Gallego added, “Trump’s strategy of alienating our allies is not smart policy—it’s dangerous.”
Some Republicans who oppose Trump also spoke out, saying, “This is what isolationism looks like,” and warning that such actions are unlikely to end well.
