Headline
The U.S. President, Trump, suggests annexing Greenland and hints at potential control over the Panama Canal.
President-elect Donald Trump stated on a Sunday that the U.S. ought to claim control over Greenland for security purposes and suggested taking over the Panama Canal by force, continuing a sequence of questionable foreign policy comments from Trump regarding allied nations.
Basic Facts
Via a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared the appointment of Paypal co-founder Ken Howery as the upcoming U.S. Ambassador to Denmark and wrote: "For the sake of national security and protection worldwide, the United States of America believes the ownership and management of Greenland is an absolute necessity."
The Danish government has yet to respond to Trump's comments, while Howery only stated his eagerness to cooperate with the "U.S. Embassy Copenhagen and U.S. Consulate Nuuk in Greenland" to strengthen ties between their countries.
At a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix on Sunday, Trump reiterated complaints about the "unfairly high" fees charged by Panama for vessels navigating the Panama Canal and mentioned that the U.S. was being "swindled."
The canal was under U.S. control until 1977, before it was transferred to Panama, but Trump vowed to demand the "Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, quickly, and without question," unless the Panamanian government met its "moral and legal" requirements.
Panamanian President José Raul Mundo dismissed the proposition in a video message, asserting "Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its surrounding area belongs to PANAMA, and will remain so."
Trump answered on Truth Social: "We'll see about that," and posted a photo of the U.S. flag over the canal with the caption "Welcome to the United States Canal!"
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What Has Trump Said About The Panama Canal Lately?
Through two posts over the weekend, Trump scorned the "sky-high costs and charges for passage" imposed on U.S. Naval and commercial ships traveling through the Panama Canal. Trump then ridiculed former President Jimmy Carter for "foolishly" ceding the canal to Panama for "One Dollar" during his tenure and accused the Panamanian government of allowing China to manage it. Trump maintained that the U.S. holds a "vested interest in the secure, efficient, and reliable operation of the Panama Canal" and would "NEVER ACQUIESCE to it falling into the wrong hands!"
What Has Trump Said About Greenland Previously?
During his first term, Trump reportedly pondered the idea of purchasing Greenland from the Danish government. As per a 2019 report by the Wall Street Journal, Trump presented the concept with varying levels of intensity to his advisors. He also exhibited keen interest in Greenland's natural resources and geopolitical significance. At the time, Danish authorities dismissed Trump's supposed interest, with the country's former prime minister and current foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen tweeting: "It must be an April Fool's Day joke ... but completely out of season."
Notable Quote
"The Canal has no control, directly or indirectly, neither from China, nor from the European Community, nor from the United States or any other power. As a Panamanian, I strongly reject any attempt to distort this reality. And it will remain in Panamanian hands as the inalienable inheritance of our Nation, guaranteeing its use without discrimination for the peaceful and uninterrupted transit of ships of all nations, as established by our Constitution and the Neutrality Treaty," Mulino's statement concluded.
Additional Reading
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In reference to President-elect Donald Trump's foreign policy proposals, he suggested taking over the Panama Canal by force and expressed a desire for U.S. control over Greenland for security purposes, mirroring his previous interest in purchasing Greenland during his first term. At a Turning Point USA event, Trump criticized the high fees charged for passage through the Panama Canal, which was under U.S. control until 1977, and vowed to demand its return unless Panama met its requirements.
