Donald Trump refuses to rule out force to take Greenland and Panama Canal

Donald Trump has refused to rule out the use of force to acquire Greenland or control the Panama Canal as he vowed to rename the Gulf of Mexico “America’s Gulf”.

In a press conference held two weeks before taking office, the US president-elect threatened to use his country’s economic and military power against traditional allies to further develop national security and territorial expansion.

When asked if he would rule out the use of military or economic coercion to gain Greenland or take control of the Panama Canal, he said. “No, I can’t assure you of either of those. But I can say this, we need them for economic security. . . We need Greenland for reasons of national security.”

At a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Tuesday, Trump He vowed to “impose very high tariffs on Denmark” if the country did not relinquish control of Greenland, which he sought to buy during his first term.

Earlier on Tuesday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced that Greenland, which is an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark. “not for sale” however, he emphasized that he wants to cooperate with Washington in the Arctic.

Responding to Trump’s latest comments, he added that the US is Denmark’s “most important and closest ally” and that he has “no imagination to believe that we will reach” possible military or economic coercion to gain control of Greenland.

Trump has been seeking control of the world’s largest island since 2019, home to just 56,000 people but central to the strategically important Arctic region.

He also argued in his press conference that the US needs to control the Panama Canal, which the country built more than 100 years ago, because of the channel’s strategic role.

“The Panama Canal is vital to our country,” he said. . And we gave the Panama Canal to Panama, not to China.”

Along with a traditional ally, Trump said a US annexation of Canada would “really be something” but would come through “economic power” rather than military action.

“You get rid of that artificially drawn line and you look at what that looks like, and that would be much better for national security, too. Don’t forget, we’re basically protecting Canada,” he said.

Citing the U.S. deficit with both countries and the flow of migrants across the U.S. southern border, Trump said he was prepared to hit both Canada and Mexico with higher tariffs. . then we want to get along with everyone,” he said.

“We’re going to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the American Gulf,” he added. And that’s appropriate.”

Trump called Mexico a “very dangerous place” that “allows millions of people to invade our country” and is “basically run” [drug] cartels.”

Mexico has been experiencing an unprecedented wave of killings since 2009, as organized crime groups expand their reach from drug and migrant trafficking to oil theft and extortion.

When Trump initially proposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada shortly after his election in November, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum initially hinted at retaliation.

While the two leaders said they had a cordial conversation afterward, Sheinbaum is now preparing for an onslaught of greater U.S. involvement in mass deportations, trade barriers and the fight against cartels.

Additional reporting by Richard Milne