As he prepares to return to the White House, President-elect Donald Trump is now reportedly openly discussing provocative aspirations for U.S. territorial expansion.
He has issued a warning about the possibility of assuming control of the Panama Canal and wresting control of Greenland from Denmark.
On Sunday, he made public remarks and social media posts that followed his recent teasing of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in which he suggested that Canada should become the 51st state and referred to Trudeau as a governor.
Trump stated during the most recent presidential campaign that he would instruct the Pentagon to employ American special forces to eliminate cartel leaders and deploy the U.S. military to implement a naval embargo on Mexican cartels.
The president-elect’s broadsides collectively suggest that he intends to pursue a confrontational foreign-policy agenda, utilizing unconventional threats and precise demands to gain an advantage over both allies and adversaries.
It was not immediately apparent whether Trump would attempt to fulfill his demands, as he is frequently prone to provocation.
However, he is likely to encounter significant opposition from global leaders who would disapprove of any attempt to undermine their sovereignty.
Trump failed to provide a specific plan for regaining control of the canal.
A request for further commentary was not responded to by his transition team.
Trump, who established himself in the real estate industry, entertained the possibility of purchasing Greenland during his inaugural term.
The U.S. government is unable to regain control of the canal, which it constructed over a century ago, without resorting to an invasion, as it did in 1989 to overthrow the dictator Manuel Noriega.
As a consequence of a 1977 treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter, the United States progressively relinquished control of the Panama Canal Zone, which was governed by the United States and extended through the country’s center.
In 2000, Panama achieved complete control over the canal.
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