The White House is claiming victory in a showdown with Colombia over accepting flights of deported migrants from the U.S., hours after President Donald Trump threatened steep tariffs on imports and other sanctions on the longtime U.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he rejected deportation flights because the deportees were being transported in military aircraft.

Donald Trump has secured a deportations breakthrough after Colombia's president offered his own plane to help take back illegal migrants from his country. A statement from president Gustavo Petro said he had "arranged the presidential plane to facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots" - a U-turn on his earlier vow to block the returns