First Panama Canal, now Greenland: Why Trump wants to take control of territories that are 'not for sale'

UPDATED: Dec 26, 2024 00:19 IST

Donald Trump is yet to begin his second term in office but has already started making ripples across the world.

The US President-elect has sparked controversy with recent comments suggesting the US should take control of two major regions that are, quite firmly, not for sale: the Panama Canal and Greenland.

These threats hint at a shift in his foreign policy stance, suggesting that his "America First" vision may include flexing the US's muscle beyond its borders.

It started with the Panama Canal. During a conservative conference in Arizona, Trump complained about Panama’s "ridiculous" fees for US ships passing through the vital waterway.

While the US oversaw the canal's construction in the early 1900s, full control was handed over to Panama in the 1970s.

However, Trump argued that the US should demand the canal’s return if the fees don't go down. He also expressed concern about China’s growing influence in the region, noting the country is the second-largest user of the canal after the US.

Trump said that national security is a big reason why the US needs to control the canal. With China’s increasing interest, Trump fears the canal could fall into the “wrong hands.”

Panama’s president rebuffed Donald Trump’s threat, saying its shipping tolls aren’t inflated and that sovereignty over the waterway isn’t negotiable.

“Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent zones is part of Panama, and it will continue to be,” President José Raºl Mulino said Sunday in a video statement on X, the social platform.

However, experts agree that the canal is crucial for US trade and military operations, especially if tensions with China escalate.

But that wasn’t all. Over the weekend, Trump then took aim at Greenland.

In a social media post, he said that controlling the Arctic island was essential for US national security and global freedom.

Greenland is home to a key US airbase and is rich in natural resources. It’s also in a prime location for trade routes, which is why global powers like Russia and China are paying close attention to it.

Trump had floated the idea of buying Greenland back in 2019, but his offer was quickly shot down by both Denmark and Greenland’s leadership.

This week, Greenland’s Prime Minister Mºte Egede fired back, saying, “We are not for sale and will never be for sale.”

Though Trump’s threats about reclaiming the Panama Canal or purchasing Greenland seem mostly rhetorical, they signal that he’s prepared to push the US’s global interests even further.

It's a strategy he used in his first term, with threats of tariffs and military action, and it looks like he's not backing down now.

With Trump set to take charge officially on January 20, it’s clear: his "America First" agenda might be bigger than ever—and it could include more than just borders.