After forcing Colombia to back down, White House claims America is respected again

(CNN) — Donald Trump claimed an early victory for a coercive foreign policy based on tariffs and hard power on Sunday after announcing Colombia had backed down in a dispute over migrant repatriation flights.The president had earlier unveiled swift and painful punishment, including huge tariffs, on the US ally in his most overt attempt yet to make an example of a nation that crossed him and to assert dominance in the Western Hemisphere.The crisis erupted when Colombian President Gustavo Petro blocked US military flights carrying undocumented migrants from landing, in a hitch for the mass deportation operation meant to honor one of Trump’s most high-profile campaign promises.The US president jumped at a chance to show his supporters how tough he can be and to demonstrate to other countries in Latin America the price of resisting migrant repatriations.After hours of tensions with Bogota, the White House said Colombia had agreed to accept migrant flights, including on military aircraft, and that tariffs would be held off pending its implementation of the deal.“Today’s events make clear to the world that America is respected again,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement late Sunday. “President Trump will continue to fiercely protect...