Trump says he wants Greenland too, hours after suggesting he would seize Panama Canal
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Trump said the United States should take control of Greenland, rekindling an old stance.
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Not long ago, he also suggested that the United States could take over the Panama Canal.
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In 2019, Trump said the United States should buy Greenland, but the idea was quickly rejected by the island and Denmark.
President-elect Donald Trump has revived his old position that the United States should take over Greenland, just hours after threatening to take over the Panama Canal.
“The United States of America believes it is absolutely necessary to own and control Greenland for the sake of national security and freedom around the world,” Trump wrote on “Truth Social” on Monday.
He made the remarks in a post announcing the appointment of PayPal co-founder Ken Howery as U.S. ambassador to Denmark.
Greenland, the world’s largest island, is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a U.S. ally and NATO member.
The town of Kulusuk, eastern Greenland.Bob Strong/Reuters
Trump’s announcement came hours after he threatened to take control of the Panama Canal, a man-made waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
“The fees Panama charges are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity the United States has given to Panama,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday.
He added: “This complete ‘theft’ of our country will stop immediately.”
“If the moral and legal principles of this generous gesture of donation are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us in its entirety without question,” Trump wrote in another post.
“Please give guidance to Panamanian officials!” he added.
The United States transferred control of the canal to the Panama Canal Authority in 1999 under a treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977.
Panama charges a fee for every ship passing through the canal, making it an important economic driver for the country.
Greenland also has strategic value. In addition to its own natural resources, it is also close to the Arctic, where countries such as Russia are vying for resources and control.
Trump expressed interest in buying Greenland in 2019 during his first term. Greenland’s government quickly rejected the idea, saying it was not for sale.
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