WASHINGTON — Donald Trump has promised to solve all of America’s problems, including the high cost of living, immigration and enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border, two of the biggest issues for the 2024 election.
He said nothing on the campaign trail about expanding U.S. borders by annexing the territory of longtime U.S. allies, including through hostile means if necessary.
However, two weeks before his inauguration, President Trump is pushing to absorb the sovereign nation of Canada, one of America’s closest allies, and is pushing more seriously to seize or purchase Greenland. Denmark, another staunch US ally and NATO member. Trump’s latest foreign policy shift to reassert American control of the Panama Canal will usher in a new era of American imperialism not seen since the late 19th century.
Donald Trump / Truth Social
At a press conference Tuesday, the president-elect even refused to be excluded Using military force or economic sanctions to seize control of the Greenland and Panama Canals was necessary for the United States to counter Russian and Chinese influence and strengthen national security, he said.
“We might have to do something,” Trump said of the possible use of military and economic force.
And in another move reminiscent of the Manifest Destiny spirit of a bygone era, Trump swear To rename the Gulf of Mexico the ‘Gulf of the United States’, he said the name had a ‘beautiful resonance’. The maritime basin, bordered by five U.S. states to the north and Mexico to the south, has some version of the name given to it by Spanish colonists: the Gulf of Mexico. After the 1540s.
Foreign leaders from Canada, Denmark and Panama didn’t treat me kindly In response to Trump’s comments, he dismissed the idea of ceding his territory and mentioned support for the United States in times of need. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum appeared. joke She said her country would start calling the United States “Mexican America,” based on an old map of Mexico in North America.
On Capitol Hill, most Republicans don’t seem to take Trump’s comments seriously, even though they agree with him that the United States is interested in acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal.
“I don’t want to invade Denmark, but it’s hard to deny that Greenland would be a really good strategic asset,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). “It will be a diplomatic disaster.”
Asked about the negative reaction in Canada to Trump’s comments, Senator Jon Hoeven (RND) said he loves his American neighbors, adding, “I’m open to anything we can do with our friends in Canada.”
“I hope they don’t get angry. “They are our closest allies.” The senator, who shares a border with Canada, told HuffPost:
Sen. Cynthia Loomis (R-Wyo.) said she did not think Trump’s ideas were “frivolous.” But the senator said he personally would focus on fighting inflation, securing the border and cutting spending, noting that “things voters thought were important during the election.”
In the House of Representatives, Trump received enthusiastic support from the Republican majority on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and expressed support for annexing Canada and Greenland. talking on social media “It is un-American to be afraid to dream big.” The committee later deleted the post.
Other Trump allies said they believed his threats during negotiations with the Trump administration on trade and immigration were intended to bring countries like Canada to the table.
“He’s setting up a stalking horse to create leverage for trade negotiations,” YourVoice CEO Bill Mitchell said. wrote From an online post.
But on the other side, Democrats dismissed Trump’s talk of annexing foreign countries as simply a ploy to divert Americans’ attention from his plan to cut taxes for the rich. President Trump is scheduled to meet with Republican lawmakers at the Capitol later Wednesday to discuss a reconciliation strategy. The strategy combines an extension of President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts with sharp spending cuts on government programs.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-Y) said he would go along with Trump’s plan to rename the Gulf of Mexico “only if President Trump first agrees to work with us on a real plan to lower costs for the American people.”
“Renaming bodies of water is not what the American people want us to focus on first,” Schumer added in a speech Wednesday.
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Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) made a similar point, dismissing discussion of Trump’s recent remarks as “déjà vu all over again.”
“Do we follow everything he says?” Welch asked Trump. “Do we want to have a caucus position on the ‘Gulf of America’? “I’d rather have a caucus position on lowering prescription drug prices.”
“If you ask me about Greenland today, it could be Latvia tomorrow. Who knows?” He added:
