Trump Almost Stole Valentine's Day in 2025

Before you jump into the article we have written below, please note that it’s written in a light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek style. Lily’s Florist remains neutral regarding any political party in the USA—our focus is solely on delivering beautiful flowers and a bit of fun. It is also meant to entertain and engage rather than provide serious political commentary.

For further reading, see all our Valentine's Day blog posts.

The (Almost) Embargo Explained

Valentine’s Day 2025 almost had a plot twist worthy of a rom-com (or perhaps a telenovela): a near-embargo of Colombian roses to the U.S. just as lovers were gearing up for the big day. In late January 2025, a diplomatic spat between the United States and Colombia threatened to put the brakes on planeloads of flowers – a potential “bouquet blockade” that had florists and romantics in a panic. As one report put it, “if any husbands or boyfriends mess up Valentine’s Day this week, it’s not because of a shortage of flowers” (Washington Times) – crisis averted, but not before giving everyone a scare.

This flower fiasco had its roots in politics, not petals. In January 2025, Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro refused to allow U.S. military planes carrying deported migrants to land in Colombia (The Mercury News). The issue wasn’t roses at all – it was an immigration tussle. But enter then-U.S. President Donald Trump, who decided to play hardball by announcing plans for a 25% import tariff on all Colombian goods, roses included (The Mercury News). Trump’s move was retaliation for Petro’s stance on deportees, delivered with characteristically fiery rhetoric about not letting Colombia “violate its legal obligations” regarding taking back “the criminals they forced into the United States” (WLRN).

Colombia didn’t take this lying down. Petro shot back with a tit-for-tat threat of 25% tariffs on U.S. exports to Colombia (The Mercury News), and suddenly a full-blown trade war loomed. Both sides even rattled sabers about hiking tariffs up to 50% in an escalating showdown (WLRN). And all this just weeks before February 14, prime time for rose petals to hit the tarmac in Miami. The timing was, as the Associated Press dryly noted, “most inauspicious” – romantics were at risk of becoming collateral damage of an immigration back-and-forth (The Mercury News).

For a brief moment, it looked like Cupid might get benched by Uncle Sam. Colombia is America’s #1 foreign source of cut flowers, especially roses, so a trade cutoff right before Valentine’s was no trivial matter. Headlines warned of a “Valentine’s Day tradition” caught in the crossfire (The Mercury News). On social media, people buzzed about a possible “War of the Roses” – one commentator jokingly dubbed it the “30-minute War of the Roses,” as the standoff fortunately ended almost as fast as it began (Legal Insurrection). Within hours, cooler heads (and perhaps visions of wilted profits and angry Valentines) prevailed. Colombia backed down and agreed to allow the deportation flights after all, and the White House promptly put the tariff threat on hold (The Mercury News). In the end, the flower embargo that almost was... wasn’t. (and trade) conquered all – or at least, pragmatism did.

Economic Impact: Love and Money on the Line

The near-miss rose embargo highlighted just how globally entangled the flower industry is. From the U.S. to Australia, many suddenly realised their Valentine bouquets had passports. Let’s unpack the economic stakes for the flower business – and why florists from Miami to Melbourne were biting their nails.

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In the United States: Pricier Petals Averted

The U.S. is hugely dependent on Colombian flowers, especially for Valentine’s Day. Roughly 70% of all cut flower imports to the U.S. come from Colombia in a typical year (Farmonaut). In fact, from January through November 2024, the U.S. imported $1.14 billion worth of Colombian cut flowers – already more than the entire previous year’s total (The Mercury News). Colombia’s pleasant year-round climate makes it ideal for growing roses, carnations, and more, which it ships by the planeload to America (The Mercury News). Every February, an armada of cargo flights brings in a flood of blooms: about 48,000 tons of flowers move through Miami airport in the month before Valentine’s, with 70% coming from Colombia (WLRN). Miami handles about 90% of all imported flowers (with Los Angeles taking most of the rest (Washington Times)), essentially making South Florida Cupid’s cargo hub.

When the trade dispute flared, U.S. florists and importers were understandably alarmed. One Boston florist noted that about 78% of flowers sold in the U.S. are imports – and the majority of imported roses come from Colombia (Rouvalis Flowers). Only around 20% of flowers are grown domestically (Rouvalis Flowers). A true embargo or hefty tariff would likely have resulted in skyrocketing prices for consumers and/or limited availability. Florists would have faced a cruel choice: pass the cost to customers or absorb the loss. As one industry observer put it, this near-disaster was “a wake-up call” – highlighting the supply chain's vulnerability and perhaps prompting efforts to diversify sources or boost local flower farming.

Fortunately, with the reached agreement, a price spike was avoided and America’s sweetheart roses arrived on time. Miami’s flower inspectors processed a record 940 million stems in the run-up to Valentine’s (Washington Times). The only measures “held in reserve” were those tariffs – shelved once Colombia complied (The Mercury News). In short, U.S. florists dodged a thorny bullet, and Valentine’s Day 2025 went ahead with plentiful blooms and stable prices.

In Australia: Global Ripples Down Under

Half a world away, Australia’s flower industry watched the U.S.-Colombia rose drama with a mix of sympathy and self-interest. While Australia wasn’t directly involved, it isn’t isolated from global flower supply. In fact, many bouquets in Australia often come from abroad – sometimes even from the same Colombian farms that supply the U.S. As one Australian news outlet noted, “The roses you get or give this Valentine’s Day are more likely to be from Colombia than Queensland” (news.com.au).

By the numbers, Australia imported about US $9.8 million worth of cut flowers from Colombia in 2023 (Trading Economics). Although this volume is smaller than that of the U.S., it remains significant for Aussie florists. Had the U.S. blocked Colombian roses, Colombian exporters might have redirected surplus flowers to alternative markets such as Europe, Canada, or Australia. This could have either resulted in a glut of Colombian roses in Australia or, conversely, driven up global prices for imported blooms.

Australian growers might have also seen an opportunity. During past disruptions, local flower farms stepped in when imports faltered. For example, in 2021, pandemic transport issues led to a 30–40% surge in Valentine’s sales for home-grown roses (The Guardian). Thus, while Australia wasn’t poised to impose a rose embargo of its own, the drama abroad underscored the interconnectedness of global supply chains and the potential benefits of supporting local production.

Reactions & Drama: Roses, Rage, and Ridicule

Public and political reactions to this “flower power” standoff ranged from serious to seriously humourous. Initially, there was plenty of chest-thumping and dramatic flair. Trump’s tariff announcement came via a triumphant statement on social media, warning that “these measures are just the beginning” if Colombia didn’t comply (WLRN). He was clearly playing Cupid with a Big Stick to enforce immigration rules, even if it risked spoiling Valentine’s Day.

On the other side, President Petro cast the U.S. actions as bullying and defended Colombia’s dignity and sovereignty (The Mercury News). For a brief spell, it looked like roses might become the symbol of nationalist defiance.

Once the impasse was resolved, the tone shifted from drama to farce. Observers poked fun at how the ordeal nearly transformed lovers’ day into a trade war battlefield. The internet lit up with puns like the “thorny” situation, the “flower fight”, and the now-famous “War of the Roses” – with one quip noting it lasted only about 30 minutes before peace prevailed (Legal Insurrection). Late-night comedians and Twitter users joked about love being “on the rocks” (or on the rocks tariffs). U.S. officials even steered clear of the subject at Miami airport press conferences as millions of flowers continued to flow (Washington Times).

One particularly memorable – and cringe-inducing – reaction came from the White House. On Valentine’s Day, the Trump administration’s official social media accounts posted a mock Valentine card with an anti-immigrant twist:
“Roses are red / Violets are blue / Come here illegally / And we’ll deport you.”
This post, set against a pink heart-filled background featuring the images of Trump and his “border czar”, left many Americans facepalming (HuffPost UK). The New York Post even described the incident as the White House “trolling” migrants (New York Post).

In Colombia, there was a mix of relief and sly commentary. Once Petro agreed to Washington’s demands, Colombian officials declared the standoff “overcome” and tried to spin it as a move to ensure deportees were treated decently (The Mercury News). Local media noted how quickly Petro bowed to avoid economic pain – essentially snipping the stem of the conflict before it truly bloomed. As one observer summed it up, “So this was the 30-minute War of the Roses” (Legal Insurrection). The general sentiment was: Glad it’s over, let’s never fight about flowers again.

Ripple Effects: Sourcing Love Elsewhere

Although the worst was avoided, the near-embargo sparked questions about what might have happened if Colombian roses were off the menu. Trade analysts and industry experts considered several potential ripple effects and Plan B options:

• Ecuador – Roses in Reserve:
  Colombia’s neighbor Ecuador is another major player in the rose market. Ecuadorian roses normally enter the U.S. with a modest 6.8% import tariff (WLRN), but they could never instantly replace Colombia’s volume. A blockage of Colombian blooms would have forced importers to tap every Ecuadorian farm available, likely driving up prices and straining inventory.
• Homegrown Heroes:
  The crisis highlighted the fragility of domestic production – with only about 20% of flowers sold in the U.S. being grown on American soil (Rouvalis Flowers). In a prolonged embargo, there might have been renewed investment in American flower farms. Although greenhouses in states like California, Florida, and Arizona can grow roses, ramping up production isn’t immediate. In the short term, florists would scramble to secure any available local supply.
• Alternate Imports – Kenya, Ethiopia & Beyond:
  The U.S. could have looked further afield to alternative sources. Many European Valentine’s Day flowers come from Kenya, Ethiopia, and other African nations. However, shifting supply chains on short notice is challenging due to differing regulations, longer flights, and limited air cargo capacity. While this route could mitigate a shortage, it would also introduce new logistical hurdles.
• Valentines Down Under – Local Bloom Boost:
  In Australia, a U.S.-Colombia spat might have had an unexpected upside. If Colombian growers had excess stock due to a U.S. embargo, Australian importers might have secured deals on fresh flowers. Alternatively, a shortfall in imports could have nudged consumers to buy locally grown Australian roses. Past disruptions, such as the 30–40% jump in Australian rose sales in 2021, suggest that local growers are ready to step in when needed (The Guardian).

Love Conquers (Trade) War?

In the end, what could have been a Valentine’s Day debacle turned into a near-miss crisis where diplomacy and economic common sense prevailed. The near-embargo of Colombian roses ended as a mere footnote – a “phew, that was close” episode where roses, coffee, and even Colombian bananas continued flowing into the U.S. market. Sweethearts from New York to Sydney enjoyed their blooms without a geopolitical price tag.

For 2025, it was Romance 1, Trade War 0. As one relieved observer quipped, "Roses are red, violets are blue, the trade war’s over, so your bouquet’s on cue." A happy ending to a tale of roses, riffs, and near-ruin – equal parts factual and farcical, just like any good Valentine’s Day story.