Trump Intensifies Push for Greenland and Panama Canal Control

President-elect Donald Trump has once again emphasized his ambition for the United States to gain control of Greenland and the Panama Canal, citing their importance to American national security.

When asked whether he would rule out military or economic means to acquire the Danish-controlled Greenland or the Panama Canal, Trump said, “No, I can’t make any guarantees on those.” He added, “These are vital to our economic security.”

Both Denmark and Panama have firmly opposed any notion of relinquishing control of their territories. During the same press briefing at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump also floated the idea of annexing Canada, calling the US-Canada border an “artificially drawn line.”

As the longest border between two nations, the US-Canada boundary has been in place since treaties were signed in the late 18th century. Trump argued that the US spends significant resources protecting Canada and criticized imports of Canadian goods like cars, lumber, and dairy. “Canada should become a state,” he declared.

Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed the idea, stating there was “no chance whatsoever” of a merger between the two nations.

Originally intended as an announcement for a $20 billion investment by Dubai-based Damac Properties to develop data centers in the US, Trump’s press conference quickly veered into various topics, including environmental regulations, election processes, ongoing legal cases against him, and his criticism of President Joe Biden.

Trump also suggested renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” and reiterated his opposition to wind energy, claiming turbines “are disturbing the whales.”

Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr. was spotted in Greenland, where he described his visit to Nuuk as a “personal day trip” to engage with locals, without any official meetings planned.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded firmly, stating, “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders,” adding that only its residents could decide the island’s future. Frederiksen stressed that Greenland is not for sale while emphasizing the importance of US-Denmark cooperation within NATO.

Greenland, home to just 57,000 people, is the world’s largest island and strategically significant in the Arctic. Although autonomous, it relies heavily on financial support from Denmark and remains part of the Danish kingdom. The island also hosts a major US space facility and contains abundant rare earth minerals essential for modern technology.

Trump argued that Greenland’s location is critical for monitoring Chinese and Russian naval activities, saying, “This is about protecting the free world.”

The Panama Canal was another focal point of Trump’s territorial ambitions. He described the canal as “essential to our country” and alleged it is “being operated by China.” Trump has previously accused Panama of overcharging US ships to use the waterway, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino dismissed these claims, asserting that there is “no Chinese interference” in the canal’s operations. However, a Hong Kong-based firm, CK Hutchison Holdings, manages two ports at the canal’s entrances.

The Panama Canal, constructed in the early 1900s, was under US control until a 1977 treaty, signed during President Jimmy Carter’s administration, gradually transferred authority to Panama. Trump criticized this decision, calling it a “big mistake.”

It remains uncertain how serious Trump is about expanding US territory, particularly regarding Canada, which boasts a population of 41 million and is the second-largest country by area.

During the conference, Trump also made a series of controversial claims, including a baseless assertion that Hezbollah was involved in the January 6 Capitol riot in 2021.

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