US President-elect Donald Trump has declined to dismiss the possibility of employing military or economic measures to pursue the acquisition of the Panama Canal and Greenland, aligning with a wider expansionist strategy he has advocated since his electoral victory.
Mr. Trump, who will assume office on January 20, has also entertained the notion of transforming Canada into a US state. He stated he would require significantly higher defense expenditures from NATO allies and promised to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
With two weeks remaining until his inauguration, Mr. Trump has started to sketch out a forceful foreign policy with minimal consideration for diplomatic norms or the apprehensions of US allies.
When questioned during a press conference at his Florida resort if he could guarantee that he would not use military or economic pressure in his efforts to gain control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, Mr. Trump replied, “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two. But I can say this, we need them for economic security.”
Donald Trump Jr. mentioned he was visiting Greenland as a ‘tourist’.
He suggested the imposition of tariffs on Denmark if it resists his proposal to buy Greenland, which he claims is essential for US national security. Just prior to Mr. Trump’s statement, his son Don Jr. arrived in Greenland for a private visit.
Denmark has stated that Greenland, an autonomous part of its realm, is not for sale.
“I don’t think it’s a productive approach to confront each other through financial means when we are close allies and partners,” responded Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to Mr. Trump’s remarks.
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‘Will never back down’ – Canada
Canada’s foreign affairs minister, Melanie Joly, remarked on X, “President-elect Trump’s comments demonstrate a complete lack of understanding of what makes Canada a robust nation. Our economy is strong. Our populace is strong. We will never yield to threats.”
Mexican and Panamanian authorities have yet to respond. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino has previously dismissed the idea of returning the canal to US control after it was handed over in 1999.
Ambassador Daniel Fried, a former US diplomat now affiliated with the Atlantic Council think tank, remarked that Mr. Trump’s statements depicted national power as territorial expansion, likening him to a “19th-century imperialist.”
Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly stated Mr. Trump’s remarks illustrate a fundamental misunderstanding of Canada’s strength.
Claiming Greenland, Mr. Fried argued, “would dismantle NATO, as it would make us no better than Vladimir Putin,” Russia’s president.
Mr. Trump’s vow to rename the Gulf of Mexico mirrored his earlier commitment to restore the name of Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America, to Mount McKinley. Former President Barack Obama had renamed the Alaskan mountain in respect to Native Americans.
Normally, the US Board of Geographic Names determines geographic names, though presidents have occasionally renamed geographic features through executive action.
NATO spending
Mr. Trump asserted that NATO countries should allocate 5% of their gross domestic product on defense, a significant rise from the current target of 2%.
“I believe NATO should be at 5%,” he stated. “They can all afford it, but they really should be at 5%, not 2%.”
Mr. Trump has persistently criticized most NATO members for not contributing their fair share and hinted at demanding an increase in NATO defense contributions during his campaign.
NATO projected that 23 of its 32 members would meet its 2% of GDP spending goal by 2024.
Currently, none of the alliance members, including the US, spends 5% of GDP on defense, according to NATO data. Poland leads in GDP spendings at 4.12%, followed by Estonia at 3.43% and the United States at 3.38%.
Mr. Trump also reiterated his warning that “all hell will break loose in the Middle East” if the Palestinian Hamas militants do not release hosts abducted from Israel on October 7, 2023, before he takes office.
“It won’t end well for Hamas, and frankly, it won’t go well for anyone,” he remarked.
His designated Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, expressed hope to have positive updates on negotiations between Israel and Hamas by the time Mr. Trump is inaugurated.
Familiar grievances
The informal, hour-long press conference, Mr. Trump’s second since his victory, echoed similar previous events from his presidential campaign.
He voiced a series of familiar grievances concerning his legal issues, targeting Justice Juan Merchan, the New York judge who is set to sentence Mr. Trump on Friday for falsifying business records related to hush money payments made to a pornographic actress.
A New York appeals court rejected his latest attempt to postpone the sentencing shortly after his press conference concluded.
In a separate issue, as Mr. Trump spoke, a US judge temporarily barred Special Counsel Jack Smith from publishing a report on his investigations regarding the alleged mishandling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
The judge, Aileen Cannon, had earlier dismissed the case accusing Mr. Trump of unlawfully retaining classified materials post-office.
Tuesday’s event occurred in the elaborately decorated living room at Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump’s Palm Beach resort. Several of his senior advisers observed the proceedings as club guests were seen dining on the terrace outside.
Mr. Trump was additionally queried about whether it is appropriate for Elon Musk to publicly comment on foreign matters. In recent weeks, the billionaire Trump supporter has utilized his X platform to weigh in on European politics, including showing support for Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party.
“I can say Elon is doing an excellent job, a very intelligent guy,” Mr. Trump commented. “I am not familiar with the individuals you mentioned.”
