Donald Trump has refused to rule out using military force to bring Greenland and the Panama Canal under US control.
Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago resort during a news conference, the President-elect said that he needs both the world’s largest island and the Central American canal for “economic security”.
“I can’t assure you — you’re talking about Panama and Greenland — no, I can’t assure you on either of those two,” Trump said in response to a reporter who asked him if he could rule out invasion.
“But I can say this: We need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for our military. I’m not going to commit to that now … it might be that you’ll have to do something.”
Donald Trump has refused to rule out using military force to bring Greenland and the Panama Canal under US control
Getty/Reuters
He also said that whilst he would not use military force against Canada, he would be open to using “economic force”.
“That would really be something,” he said, previously quipping that it should become the 51st state.
“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.
“They’re great, but we’re spending hundreds of billions here to protect it. We’re spending hundreds of billions a year to take care of Canada. We lose in trade deficits.”
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Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago resort during a news conference, the President-elect said that he needs both the world’s largest island and the Central American canal
Reuters
The President-elect has repeatedly expressed his desire to acquire Greenland, an autonomous Danish dependent territory.
“We need Greenland for national security purposes,” he said at Mar-a-Lago. “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.”
He vowed to tariff Denmark at a very high level” unless the country gave up control of Greenland, which he has called an “absolute necessity”.
His comments came as his son, Donald Trump Jr, visited Greenland - an island which lies on the shortest route from North America to Europe.
'We need Greenland for national security purposes', Trump said at Mar-a-Lago
REUTERS
Cargo ships wait at the entrance of the Panama Canal GETTY
Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen said Greenland is not for sale
PADanish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded to Trump’s comments by stating that “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders”, adding that it is not for sale.
Trump said that the Panama Canal is also “vital to our country”.
He added: “It’s being operated by China, China, and we gave the Panama Canal to Panama. We didn’t give it to China, and they’ve abused it.”
Panamanian President José Raúl responded by saying that his country is “non-negotiable”.
“As president, I want to clearly state that every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjoining zone is Panama’s and will remain so,” Mulino said.
