The Playbook Podcast Another White House welcome
Feb 3, 2026
A tense White House meeting between Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump and whether it resets or frays relations. How U.S. strategy in the Western Hemisphere and recent regional operations shape high stakes. Shifts in White House optics, less public diplomacy and more quiet behind-the-scenes negotiations. Intense talks and political maneuvering over immigration policy and funding in Congress.
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High-Stakes Colombia White House Visit
- Gustavo Petro's White House visit is high-stakes because both leaders have publicly sparred and trade and drug policy tensions run deep.
- The meeting could reset or further fracture U.S.-Colombia ties depending on how both leaders handle the encounter.
Past Threats Raise Meeting Risk
- Trump previously threatened Colombia after an operation on Maduro, elevating drug policy tensions with Petro by name.
- That prior hostility raises the risk this Oval Office meeting could escalate rather than soothe bilateral tensions.
White House Pulls Back Public Optics
- The White House is likely curbing public Oval Office moments and may not invite press for Petro's visit.
- That marks a strategic shift from frequent public photo-ops toward more controlled, private diplomacy.
