On Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump stated that he might consider using military force to take control of both the Panama Canal and Greenland, emphasizing that U.S. dominance over these areas is crucial for national security.
Just days away from his inauguration on January 20, and while a group of aides—including Donald Trump Jr.—is currently in Greenland, Trump did not dismiss the possibility of deploying American troops to secure these territories.
This stance signifies a departure from longstanding U.S. policy that has favored self-determination instead of territorial acquisition. When questioned about ruling out military action, Trump replied, I’m not going to commit to that… It might be that you’ll have to do something.
He underscored the importance of the Panama Canal by stating it is essential for the nation and reiterated the need for Greenland regarding national security interests.
Greenland, which hosts a significant U.S. military installation, is an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty—a country recognized as a key ally and founding member of NATO.
Trump expressed skepticism about Denmark’s claim over Greenland. The Panama Canal has been solely managed by Panama for over 25 years following its return by the U.S., which ended its shared administration in 1999 after initially transferring control in 1979.
In response to Trump’s remarks during an interview with Danish broadcaster TV2, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reaffirmed that Denmark considers the United States its most vital ally and does not believe military or economic force will be used by America to gain control over Greenland.
She expressed her openness to increased U.S. engagement in Arctic affairs but emphasized that such actions must respect the rights of the Greenlandic people and allow for continued collaboration between Denmark and the United States within NATO frameworks.
Not long ago, Trump shared a video of his private jet touching down in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, surrounded by stunning snow-capped mountains and fjords. He captioned it with, Don Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland.
The reception has been fantastic! They, along with the Free World, need safety, security, strength, and PEACE! This deal has to happen. MAGA—MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN! Meanwhile, Greenland’s government clarified that Donald Trump Jr.’s visit was personal and not official; they wouldn’t be meeting with him.
On another note, Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha mentioned that there hasn’t been any formal communication between Trump or his team and Panama’s government.
He reiterated what President José Raúl Mulino had said last month: the canal will stay under Panamanian control. “The sovereignty of our canal is non-negotiable; it’s part of our history and an irreversible achievement,” Martínez-Acha stated.
In addition to all this, Trump has suggested that Canada could become the 51st state. On Tuesday he claimed he wouldn’t invade Canada militarily—home to over 40 million people and a key NATO ally—but would instead use economic pressure since he sees the U.S.-Canada trade deficit as a subsidy that can’t last forever.
Canadian officials quickly pushed back after initially brushing off Trump’s comments as a joke. Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly responded on X saying that Trump’s remarks reflect a total misunderstanding of Canada’s strength: “Our economy is robust. Our people are resilient.
We won’t back down from threats.” Outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was even more direct: “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would ever join the United States.”
In a bid to usher in what he calls a Golden Age for America, Trump proposed renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, claiming it has a nice sound to it. He also suggested that NATO should significantly boost its defense spending goals, urging member countries to allocate at least 5% of their GDP on defense instead of the current 2%. Recently, NATO revealed that 23 out of its 32 members are on track to meet this new target, largely due to the heightened tensions from Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
During his press conference, Trump took a moment to express his frustration with President Biden, accusing him of sabotaging his transition into power just as Biden announced a ban on offshore energy drilling across most federal waters.
With only two weeks left in his term, Biden utilized the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to safeguard offshore regions along both coasts and parts of Alaska from future oil and gas leasing. This decision effectively removed about 625 million acres from energy exploration—a move that might need Congressional approval to reverse.
Trump confidently stated he would reinstate those areas on his first day in office and indicated he was prepared to challenge this legally if necessary.
He criticized Biden’s actions as part of a series of last-minute moves by the outgoing administration that were complicating his plans for when he takes over. “They told me they would do everything possible for a smooth transition,” Trump remarked. “It’s anything but smooth.”
However, it’s worth noting that Biden’s team has actually provided access and support that Trump initially withheld from them after losing the election in 2020. In fact, Trump’s incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles mentioned in an interview that Biden’s chief of staff Jeff Zients has been quite helpful.
In longer comments during the press conference, Trump didn’t hold back on his thoughts about special counsel Jack Smith either—who had been overseeing investigations related to both January 6th insurrection events and classified documents found post-presidency.
The Justice Department is expected to release Smith’s report summarizing these investigations soon since Trump’s recent electoral win put an end to those criminal cases.