"Trump Mulls Military Option for Greenland and Panama Canal Control"

Headline:

Trump Floats Military Option for Panama Canal, Greenland Control as He Bids to ‘Make Arctic Great Again’

Subheadline:

President-elect raises eyebrows with potential military intervention suggestions, drawing responses from leaders worldwide.

Byline:

Associated Press

Body:

In an unexpected turn, President-elect Donald Trump hinted Tuesday he wouldn’t rule out using the U.S. military to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, marking a departure from decades of U.S. policy that prioritizes self-determination over territorial expansion.

Speaking to reporters less than two weeks before inauguration, Trump left open the possibility of deploying the U.S. military to secure both territories. His remarks came as a delegation of advisors and aides, including his son Donald Trump Jr., were in Greenland. The president-elect’s intentions underscore a rejection of established U.S. policy that has long favored national autonomy over territorial gain.

quando pushed on whether he would dismiss the military option, Trump said, "I’m not going to commit to that. We might have to do something. The Panama Canal is vital to our country." He added, "We need Greenland for reasons of national security."

Greenland, home to a substantial U.S. military base, is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a longstanding U.S. ally and NATO founder. Trump questioned Denmark’s claim on Greenland.

The Panama Canal has been solely controlled by Panama for over 25 years. The U.S. returned control of the Canal Zone to Panama in 1979 and ended its joint control of the strategic waterway in 1999.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen addressed Trump’s statements during an interview with TV2 Denmark, describing the U.S. as Denmark’s "closest and most important" ally. She expressed belief that the U.S. would not resort to military or economic force to assert control over Greenland.

Frederiksen welcomed increased U.S. interest in the Arctic region but emphasized that it should respect Greenlanders. She added that any actions should also allow Denmark and the U.S. to continue collaborating, particularly within NATO.

Previously, Trump shared a video on social media of his plane landing in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital. The video showed snow-capped peaks and fjords, with the caption, "Don Jr. and my reps landing in Greenland. The reception has been fantastic. They, and the world, need security, strength, and peace. This is a deal that must happen. Let’s make Greenland great again!"

The Greenlandic government clarified that Trump Jr.’s visit was occurring in a personal capacity, not as an official visit, and representatives would not meet with him.

Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha stated that the government had not had formal contact with Trump or his advisors but reinforced previous declarations by President José Raúl Mulino, who said last month that the canal would remain under Panamanian control.

Trump also suggested previously that Canada could become the 51st U.S. state. On Tuesday, he ruled out using military force to invade Canada, instead opting for "economic force," describing Canada’s trade surplus with the U.S. as a subsidy that would end.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed Trump’s comments, describing them as a lack of understanding of Canada’s strength and an unfounded threat.

Trump closed his press conference by announcing plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of the United States," and proposing that NATO members increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP, up from the current 2%.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s recent decision to ban offshore oil and gas drilling in federal waters estivated Trump’s ire. Trump vowed to reverse the decision on his first day in office and, if necessary, challenge it in court.

Throughout his remarks, Trump continued to cast Biden’s actions as an attempt to undermine his transition, despite Biden’s team providing access and courtesies to Trump’s team.

In closing, Trump criticized the work of special counsel Jack Smith, whose investigation into Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack and the retention of classified documents has recently been summarized in a soon-to-be-published report.