Trump Breaks Protocol With Public Endorsement in Colombia's Presidential Runoff

Donald Trump endorsed right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella on June 3, 18 days before Colombia's presidential runoff on June 21. De la Espriella faces leftist senator Iván Cepeda, the ruling party's candidate, in a race polled at 38.7% to 37.3%. The endorsement departs sharply from diplomatic convention—former U.S. leaders rarely publicly back specific candidates in allied democracies' active campaigns. The timing maximizes potential impact while shrinking diplomatic fallout windows, testing Colombian sovereignty norms.