When a foreign leader visits the United States, we expect that person to respect our laws and our Constitution. But Colombian President Gustavo Petro did the opposite. Instead of acting like a guest, he stood on American soil and told our own soldiers to disobey President Trump. That is not only disrespectful — it’s dangerous. Thankfully, the Trump administration acted quickly and firmly. The State Department announced that Petro’s visa will be revoked. This was the right move.
Let’s be clear about what happened. Petro came to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly. But instead of focusing on diplomacy, he joined a protest outside the UN building — a protest filled with anti-Israel activists. He brought along Roger Waters, a former rock star who is known for his hateful comments about Israel. Together, they stood in front of a crowd and pushed a radical message.
Petro told American soldiers to defy their orders. He said, “Disobey the orders of Trump.” He told them to “obey the orders of humanity.” In other words, he encouraged mutiny — right here in our own country.
Let’s pause and think about that. This is the president of another nation, standing on our streets, telling our military not to follow the Commander in Chief. That is a blatant attack on our system of government. In the United States, the President is the leader of the armed forces. That is what our Constitution says. For a foreign leader to come here and call for insubordination is not only reckless — it borders on treasonous talk.
President Trump’s administration wasted no time. The State Department announced that Petro’s visa would be revoked. As they said, his actions were “reckless and incendiary.” That’s putting it mildly. Petro tried to stir up division within our own military ranks. That cannot be tolerated.
Some may say Petro was just exercising free speech. But the First Amendment applies to American citizens, not foreign leaders who are here on a visa. And even for Americans, free speech does not include the right to call for disobedience within the military. There are limits, especially when national security is at stake.
This is also not the first time Petro has clashed with President Trump. Earlier this year, he refused to take back Colombian nationals who had entered the U.S. illegally. President Trump responded with tough talk — threatening tariffs, visa restrictions, and even using Petro’s own presidential plane to deport illegal migrants. That pressure worked. Petro backed down. Now, once again, Petro has stepped out of line, and once again, President Trump has shown strong leadership in standing up for America.
Let us not forget who Roger Waters is either. He has compared Israel to Nazi Germany. He has pushed for boycotts and sanctions against the Jewish state. He uses his fame not to bring people together, but to spread hate. Now he’s teaming up with a foreign president to try to undermine the United States. That tells you everything you need to know.
The lesson is simple: America is a sovereign nation. We have a Constitution, a President, and a military that defends our freedom. We do not take orders from foreign leaders. And when someone crosses the line — even a foreign president — there must be consequences.
President Trump understands that. He defends our borders, our laws, and our people. That’s what leadership looks like. The revocation of Gustavo Petro’s visa sends a clear message: if you come to our country and try to turn our soldiers against their Commander in Chief, you will not be welcome here.
That’s not just good policy. It’s common sense. And it’s exactly what the Founders would have expected from a president who puts America first.
