Trump withheld the tariffs after Colombia agreed to accept migrants deported from military planes, the White House said.

Washington – President Trump will stop imposing higher tariffs on Colombia after the country’s government agreed to accept repatriated migrants on military planes, the White House said Sunday night.

Mr. Trump earlier on Sunday vowed to retaliate immediately after the Colombian government over the weekend blocked the arrival of evacuation flights from the US, opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to implement it military planes to expel migrants.

Mr. Trump posted on social media on Sunday that his administration would take several measures against Colombia, including a 25% tariff – which he said would be increased to 50% after one week – on all goods entering the US from Colombia.

He also announced a travel ban and “immediate visa revocation” of Colombian government officials and their “associates,” visa sanctions on Colombian officials and their relatives and enhanced customs checks on travelers and goods from Colombia.

“These steps are just the beginning,” wrote Mr. Trump on the social network Truth Social. “We will not allow the Government of Colombia to violate its legal obligations regarding the admission and return of criminals who have forced themselves to the United States!”

But on Sunday night, the White House press secretary, Caroline Leavitt, said in a statement, “The Colombian government has agreed to all of President Trump’s policies, including accepting without restrictions all illegal aliens from Colombia returning from the United States, including the United States military. aircraft, without limitation or delay Based on this agreement, IEEPA tariffs in full will be maintained, and can be signed, unless Colombia fails to respect this agreement.

“Visa sanctions issued by the State Department, along with enhanced vetting from Customs and Border Protection, will continue to apply until the first flight of Colombian deportees is successfully returned,” Leavitt said in a statement.

Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the country has “overcome the dispute” with the US, and said its foreign minister and ambassador will travel to Washington, DC, “in the next few hours” to continue discussing the agreement.

“We will continue to accept Colombians returning as exiles, guaranteeing them decent conditions, as citizens under rights,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The department’s statement did not say anything about the US military planes, but said the Colombian president’s plane would be used to bring back the immigrants who were due to be deported on Sunday morning.

A senior Trump administration official previously told CBS News that the use of the president’s jet would not be enough to block Mr. Trump’s proposed tariffs.

The chief administrative officer on Sunday said what Mr. Trump is like a “clear message” to countries that they are “responsible for receiving flights back home.”

Before the agreement announced Sunday night, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on social media that “Your blockade does not scare me,” and that Colombia will respond to the increased tariffs with its own 50% tariff on American goods. Speaking about the travel ban, Petro said, “I really don’t like going to the US, it’s boring.”

Petro also predicted that the US “could try to overthrow the regime with your economic power and your arrogance, as it did to Allende. … Overthrow me, President, and the Americas and humanity will respond,” wrote Petro.

In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it is Colombia’s duty to return illegal citizens to the US “in a serious and immediate manner.”

“Colombian President Petro had approved the flights and given all the necessary approvals and then revoked his approval while the planes were in the air,” Rubio said. “As demonstrated by today’s actions, we are unwavering in our commitment to ending illegal immigration and strengthening America’s border security.”

Later on Sunday, the State Department confirmed that Rubio “ordered the suspension of visa issuance at the US Embassy in Bogota.”

“Secretary Rubio is now authorizing travel sanctions against individuals and their families, who were responsible for disrupting flights back to the US,” the State Department said. “The measures will continue until Colombia meets its obligations to accept the return of its citizens. The United States will not back down when it comes to protecting its security interests.”

A US official told CBS News that US Customs and Border Protection has already implemented a ban on Colombian government officials and diplomats traveling on what are known as A and G visas as of Sunday night. The agency has also started an improved inspection of goods from Colombia, said the official. CBP later confirmed those actions in a public statement.

Earlier on Sunday, Petro said he refused the deportation planes because the deportees were being transported by military planes, and said that this action treats immigrants as criminals.

“The United States must establish a law to treat immigrants with dignity before we receive them,” wrote Petro on social media. He added that he would welcome deporting flights, as long as they were operated by human aircraft.

A US official told CBS that the Colombian migrants who were to be deported on Sunday on these flights have returned to the US and will remain in DHS custody until a new agreement is reached.

Two U.S. officials told CBS News that two Defense Department planes with deportees are expected to land in Colombia on Sunday, after departing from the San Diego area near the southern border. But those plans were scrapped overnight.

One of the US officials said the plan was to deport about 80 Colombian refugees on each military plane.

Colombia’s decision to block US deportation flights over the weekend was an early setback for the Trump administration as it lays the groundwork for its campaign to deport more people and reduce illegal immigration.

As part of that crackdown, President Trump has moved to expand the role played by the US military in immigration enforcement, declaring a national emergency to send 1,500 Army soldiers and Marines to the southern border. Soldiers are assigned to set up borders and assist Customs and Border Protection in their work. Long-standing legal restrictions prevent the use of the military to enforce laws, including US immigration law.

Earlier in the week, the administration used military aircraft to deport Guatemalan migrants who had crossed the southern border illegally back into Guatemala, heralding the move as the start of their mass deportation effort.

contributed to this report.