US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday refused to rule out the possibility of using military or economic measures to acquire the Panama Canal and Greenland, which is part of a broader expansionist program he has been promoting since winning the election on November 5.
Trump, who will take office on January 20, also proposed the idea of turning Canada into an American state, stated that he would demand much greater defense spending from NATO allies, and promised to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the American Gulf.
The president-elect announced that he would impose tariffs against Denmark if it refuses his offer to buy Greenland, which is "vital to US national security." He plans to protect Greenland from Russia and China. At the same time, Trump did not rule out the use of military force to resolve this issue. "People don't even know if Denmark has a legitimate right [to the island]. But if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security," Trump said.
Denmark stated that Greenland is part of its kingdom and is not for sale. "I don't think it's a good way to fight each other with financial means when we are close allies and partners," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday in response to Trump's comments.
Retired American diplomat Daniel Fried, now working at the think tank Atlantic Council, said that Trump's comments paint a picture of national power as territorial expansion and compared him to a "19th-century imperialist." The capture of Greenland, according to Fried, "would destroy NATO because it would make us no different from Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia."
Earlier, in December, when Trump intensified his calls to buy Greenland and expressed his grievances about the treatment of American ships passing through the Panama Canal, Ian Bremmer of Eurasia Group noted that Trump's arguments echo Vladimir Putin's justifications for invading Ukraine, writes The New York Times.
Trump also considers military force as a tool of influence to regain US control over the Panama Canal. As NYT writes, during an hour-long press conference, Trump repeatedly returned to the theme of American sacrifice in building the canal and falsely accused China of managing it today.
Trump insists that he will not be stopped by the treaty signed with Panama, which was ratified by the Senate in 1978 with 68 votes to 32, just over the two-thirds majority required by the constitution. He argued that returning control of the canal to Panama was a bad idea, claiming he did not want to talk about it while the country was burying former President Jimmy Carter, who negotiated the deal.
Panama's Foreign Minister Javier Martinez-Acha responded to the latest threats by stating that only Panama controls the canal, "and it will remain so."
Speaking about Canada, Trump threatened to use "economic power," not military, to unite Canada and the USA, implying that the United States would reduce purchases of Canadian products. He stated that he would use tariffs to limit Canada's ability to assemble cars and sell them in the USA, then accused Canada of insufficient contribution to American defense. Moreover, Trump posted maps on social media depicting Canada as part of the United States, calling the border between the two countries an "artificially drawn line."
Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly stated on the social network X that "President-elect Trump's comments show a complete misunderstanding of what makes Canada a strong country." "Our economy is strong. Our people are strong. We will never back down in the face of threats," the Foreign Minister said.
Justin Trudeau also responded to Trump's speech, announcing his departure from the post of Canada's Prime Minister. He wrote that "there is not the slightest chance that Canada will become part of the United States."
Trump's views on American territorial expansionism, which do not align with international law, served as a reminder that the definition of "America First" is not isolationism. Trump approaches American foreign policy with the mindset of a developer inclined to seize territories, according to NYT.
Photo: Reuters