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Trump nixed Mamdani’s planned meeting with leftist Colombia prez who tweeted ‘Heil Hitler’: report

The Trump administration nixed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plans to meet with Colombia’s outgoing leftist president, Gustavo Petro, according to a report.

Mamdani was set to meet Petro — who on Sunday tweeted “Heil Hitler” in response to an op-ed column that supported a right-wing presidential candidate — while he was in the Big Apple for United Nations events this week, the Washington Post reported.

President Donald Trump’s administration nixed New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plans to meet with Colombia’s outgoing leftist president, Gustavo Petro. Matthew McDermott for NY Post

Hizzoner was poised to speak with the fellow democratic socialist to discuss democracy in the Americas in a private bilateral meeting that would help cement him as a rising leader of the global left, anonymous sources told the outlet.

But the event was quietly called off after US and Colombian officials met in Bogotá, where the State Department blasted the planned engagement as unacceptable, the report said.

Colombian officials then interpreted the State Department’s sentiment as a threat to arrest Petro on site, sources told the outlet.

Mamdani was poised to speak with the fellow democratic socialist to discuss democracy in the Americas in a private bilateral meeting before the event was nixed by the State Department. Anadolu via Getty Images

A State Department official told the Washington Post that the visit would violate visa restrictions placed on Petro after he called on US troops to “disobey” President Trump during a New York City protest with controversial Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters. 

“A visa is a privilege, not a right,” the State Department official told the outlet.

“Any individual’s U.S. visa is at risk of revocation if they visit America and outrageously implore U.S. soldiers to disobey orders of the duly elected president of the United States.”

The US State Department did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

Visa restrictions were placed on Petro after he called on US troops to “disobey” Trump. Aaron Schwartz / Pool via CNP / SplashNews.com

The meeting was supposed to take place as part of Petro’s itinerary of UN Security Council events in Manhattan, which he is still allowed to attend as host of the world body’s headquarters, the report said.

After the discussion was nixed, Bogotá told Mamdani’s office that the left-wing leader’s trip was being shortened and would “exclude the possibility for a conversation,” a person familiar with the conversation told the outlet.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn and Manhattan have also been investigating Petro for alleged ties to drug traffickers, the Associated Press reported in late March.

Petro, a former rebel leader, has repeatedly slammed the Trump administration, including for its support of Israel, the bombing of drug boats in the Caribbean, and immigration crackdowns.

Following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January, Trump suggested Colombia — and Petro — may be America’s next target in his war on drug trafficking.

Tweet from Gustavo Petro reading “Heil Hitler” in response to an op-ed about Colombia needing “order, authority, and economic freedom.”

“I swore not to touch a weapon again since the 1989 Peace Pact, but for the homeland, I will take up arms again,” Petro wrote on X in response.

Trump described Petro as “terrific” after the world leaders met at the White House in February.

A State Department official told the outlet that Trump made a good-faith effort to “find common ground” during the meeting, but that Petro “continues with this kind of behavior.”

Trump and Mamdani both attended Monday night’s Knicks game against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden, but were not seated together. The president has thus far maintained a surprisingly cushy relationship with the mayor after his election.

The White House and City Hall did not immediately respond to The Post’s requests for comment.

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