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By Gabe Whisnant
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President-elect Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that he would not rule out the use of military force to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, asserting that American control of both is essential for national security.
"I'm not going to commit to that," Trump said. "It might be that you'll have to do something. The Panama Canal is vital to our country."
He added, "We need Greenland for national security purposes."
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Newsweek reached out to the Trump presidential transition team for comment.
Why It Matters
Since his November election win over Democrat Kamala Harris, the president-elect has commented about owning and controlling Greenland, a territory owned by U.S. ally Denmark, demanding the return of the Panama Canal and suggesting that Canada could be the next U.S. state. The comments have been met with backlash from international leaders and experts.
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Why Does Trump Want Greenland?
Speaking to reporters less than two weeks before his inauguration on January 20, while a delegation of aides and advisers, including his eldest son Donald Trump Jr., is in Greenland, Trump left open the possibility of using the American military to secure the Panama Canal and Greenland.
Greenland is the world's largest non-continental island, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. The predominantly ice-covered island, home to just 57,000 people, Greenland boasts vast mineral resources and holds significant strategic importance for the U.S. military. It has been part of Denmark for over 600 years.
Trump said Tuesday that Russian and Chinese Ships make passes around the island country and "we're not letting that happen."
"We need Greenland for national security purposes. I've been told that for a long time, long before I even ran. I mean, people have been talking about it for a long time. You have approximately 45,000 people there. 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," the president-elect said Tuesday.
The Wall Street Journal reported in 2019 that Trump was considering acquiring Greenland because of its natural resources, giving him a "legacy akin to President Dwight Eisenhower's admission of Alaska into the U.S. as a state."
Trump has also suggested the idea of Canada joining the United States but clarified Tuesday he would not use military force for this, preferring "economic force" instead.
Why Does Trump Want to Reclaim the Panama Canal?
The Panama Canal is a critical artificial waterway in Central America that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, significantly reducing maritime travel time for global shipping. Completed in 1914 by the United States, it spans approximately 50 miles through the Isthmus of Panama.
The United States handed over control of the Panama Canal to Panama on December 31, 1999. This transfer was in accordance with the terms of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, signed in 1977 by former President Jimmy Carter, which outlined the gradual transfer of control and operations of the canal from the United States to Panama.
Trump has stirred controversy by threatening to reclaim the Panama Canal, calling the fees charged by Panama "ridiculous" and "highly unfair." The president-elect also alleges Chinese interference in control of the crucial waterway.
"The Panama Canal is vital to our country. It's being operated by China. China! We gave the Panama Canal to Panama, we didn't give it to China. And they abused that gift," Trump said Tuesday.
Promising a "Golden age of America," Trump also mentioned his intent to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America," claiming it has a "beautiful ring to it."
In addition, Trump used the press conference to criticize President Joe Biden for allegedly undermining his transition to power, a day after Biden moved to ban offshore energy drilling in most federal waters.
Biden, whose term ends in two weeks, utilized his authority under the federal Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to protect offshore areas along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and portions of Alaska's Northern Bering Sea from future oil and natural gas leasing. This decision resulted in approximately 625 million acres of federal waters being withdrawn from energy exploration, which may require an act of Congress to reverse.
"I'm going to put it back on day one," Trump told reporters. He pledged to take it to the courts "if we need to."
What People Are Saying
The progressive Call to Activism account on X, formerly Twitter: "Donald Trump says he can't assure the world he won't use military force to take over Greenland or the Panama Canal. Greenland is a territory owned by Denmark. This is one of the dumbest and most dangerous things Trump has ever said."
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, to reporters: "The U.S. is absolutely our closest ally. We have a clear interest in ensuring that the U.S. plays a significant role in that region, as opposed to, for instance, Russia."
Greenland Premier Múte B. Egede, Tuesday on Facebook: "Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland. Our future and fight for independence is our business."
What's Next
Frederiksen would not comment Tuesday on whether she supported independence for Greenland but said, "It's understandable and legitimate that people want to move in that direction.
"The future of Greenland must be decided in Greenland and in no other places," Frederiksen said.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Correction 1/7/25, 2:28 p.m. ET: This headline was updated to clarify that Trump would not rule out using military force to take control of the Panama Canal.
Update 1/7/25, 4:46 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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