President-elect Donald Trump remains adamant about acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal, deeming both vital to American national security. When asked if he would rule out using military or economic force for the takeover, he replied, “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two,” highlighting their importance for “economic security.”
Both Denmark and Panama have firmly rejected any notion of ceding territory. Trump further stated he might consider using “economic force” to annex Canada, referring to their shared border as an “artificially drawn line.” This boundary, the longest international border between two countries, was established through treaties dating back to the late 1700s when the U.S. was founded.
The president-elect criticized the billions spent on protecting Canada and took aim at imports of Canadian goods like cars, lumber, and dairy, adding, “They should be a state.”
Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded, asserting that there is “not a snowball’s chance in hell” of Canada merging with the U.S.
Initially, Trump’s press conference was meant to announce Dubai developer Damac Properties’ $20 billion investment for data centers in the U.S. However, he used the opportunity to voice his dissent regarding environmental regulations, the electoral system, ongoing legal issues, and President Joe Biden. He even suggested renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” and reiterated his opposition to wind power, claiming wind turbines “are driving the whales crazy.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., began a personal trip to Greenland, stating he intended to converse with locals without any formal meetings. In response to this visit, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders,” emphasizing that the future of the island should be determined by its people. She affirmed, “Greenland is not for sale,” while also acknowledging the importance of cooperation with the U.S., a NATO ally.
Strategically, Greenland occupies a significant position between North America and Europe and houses a major U.S. space facility. Additionally, the island possesses large deposits of rare earth minerals essential for producing batteries and high-tech devices. Trump has argued that the island is crucial for military surveillance of Chinese and Russian naval activities.
Regarding the Panama Canal, which Trump called “vital to our country,” he claimed it is “being operated by China” and accused Panama of overcharging U.S. vessels using the waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino rejected Trump’s claims, asserting that there is “absolutely no Chinese interference” in canal operations.
Constructed in the early 1900s, the U.S. maintained control over the Panama Canal Zone until 1977, when treaties negotiated under President Jimmy Carter gradually transferred control back to Panama. Trump remarked, “Giving the Panama Canal to Panama was a very big mistake,” noting that Carter, while a good man, erred in this decision.
With Trump’s statements raising eyebrows, it remains uncertain how serious he is about U.S. territorial expansion, particularly regarding Canada, the second-largest country in the world by area. During the conference, Trump also repeated various misleading statements and conspiracy theories, including an unfounded claim linking Hezbollah to the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot.
Credit: BBC News
