Donald Trump said he would impose massive tariffs on Colombia in an angry response to the South American country blocking migrant deportation flights.

Mr Trump warned the measures, including immediate 25 per cent taxes on Colombian goods among a broad range of sanctions, were “only just the beginning”.

He said tariffs would increase to 50 per cent after one week.

Mr Trump said: “Petro’s denial of these flights has jeopardised the national security and public safety of the United States, so I have directed my administration to immediately take… decisive retaliatory measures.” 

Gustavo Petro, the president of Colombia, on Sunday said he had blocked two repatriation flights over poor treatment of the migrants on board.

Details had emerged over the weekend of alleged mistreatment of migrants on board planes touching down in other Latin American countries, including claims they were denied toilet breaks and water.

Mr Petro, a Leftist former guerrilla leader, insisted that migrants be expelled on civilian planes to show them the “dignity and respect” they deserve.

He wrote on X: “A migrant is not a criminal and must be treated with the dignity that a human being deserves.

 “That is why I turned back the US military planes that were carrying Colombian migrants.

“We will receive our fellow citizens on civilian planes, without treating them like criminals.”

The aircraft had taken off from California with 80 migrants aboard each when Colombia pulled their airspace clearances, a US official told Reuters.