President-elect Donald Trump made headlines on Tuesday by refusing to dismiss the possibility of using the U.S. military to acquire territories like Greenland and the Panama Canal, ideas he has floated since his election victory.
During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump stated, “It might be that you’ll have to do something,” when questioned about his commitment to not using military force. “I can’t assure you—you’re talking about Panama and Greenland—no, I can’t assure you on either of those two. But I can say this: We need them for economic security.”
He went on to threaten Denmark with high tariffs if they refuse to relinquish Greenland to the U.S., raising questions about Denmark’s legal claim to the island. “People really don’t even know if Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security,” Trump asserted. Officials from both Denmark and Greenland have made it clear that the island is not for sale, and Panama’s president has similarly stated that the Panama Canal is not up for negotiation. Trump has expressed intentions to regain control of the canal, which was transferred to Panama in 1999 under a treaty negotiated by former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29. Trump has criticized this agreement, alleging that Panama has “overcharged” the U.S. for canal access and that Panama’s control of this strategic waterway is detrimental to American interests.
While Trump has not provided extensive details on his ambitions for territorial expansion, his comments on Tuesday painted a clearer picture of his vision for altering the U.S. geopolitical landscape. He even joked that Canada should consider becoming the 51st state of the U.S. but insisted that any pressure on Canada would be exerted through economic means rather than military force. “That would really be something,” Trump remarked. “You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like. And it would also be much better for national security.”
Additionally, Trump expressed his desire to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America—“a beautiful name,” he claimed—and announced plans for imposing substantial tariffs on both Mexico and Canada.
This press conference, which came a day after Congress officially certified his election victory, was Trump’s second since winning on November 5. He opened with a multibillion-dollar proposal to build data centers across the U.S., funded by investors from Dubai, describing it as a “great thing” for American advancements in technology and artificial intelligence. With less than two weeks until his second inauguration, Trump made an urgent appeal for Hamas to release hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel, warning that “all hell will break out” if the roughly 100 hostages are not freed before January 20. His special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, indicated they believe a resolution is imminent regarding the hostages’ release.
However, the tone shifted as Trump began to address his political adversaries, particularly targeting President Joe Biden and discussing the legal challenges he faces from various investigations.
Trump’s statements reflected a President-elect focused on overcoming what he perceives as barriers to his agenda as he prepares to enter the Oval Office. “We are inheriting a difficult situation from the outgoing administration, and they’re trying everything they can to make it more difficult,” he remarked, critiquing Biden’s last actions in office, including an executive order halting oil and gas drilling on 625 million acres of U.S. coastal waters. “I’m going to put it back on day one,” he vowed.
These comments came just before Trump is set to be sentenced in a New York hush-money trial on Friday, following his conviction on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records in May. He is also attempting to prevent the release of special counsel Jack Smith’s final report regarding other criminal investigations. During the press conference, federal judge Aileen Cannon temporarily blocked the release of Smith’s report on Trump’s classified documents case.
Trump criticized Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the New York case, labeling him as “crooked.” (Merchan has indicated that Trump is unlikely to receive jail time during Friday’s sentencing.) Trump also attacked Smith, calling him a “deranged individual,” after Smith dismissed his two federal cases once Trump won the election.
Furthermore, Trump confirmed his consideration of pardons for many individuals convicted in relation to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, including some charged with violent acts. “People that were doing some bad things weren’t prosecuted, and people that didn’t even walk into the building are in jail right now. So, we’ll be looking at the whole thing. But I’ll be making major pardons, yes,” Trump stated. This pledge has stirred controversy, with critics arguing that it could encourage extremist behavior and undermine the legal system.
