Land grab
-
President-elect Donald Trump shared his renewed interest Sunday in the U.S. controlling the autonomous territory of Greenland, which is owned by Denmark.
"For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity," Trump wrote in a statement announcing that he had chosen Ken Howery to serve as ambassador to Denmark.
Greenland's prime minister, Mute Egede, has already rejected Trump's remarks, saying in a statement: âGreenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom," according to Reuters.
But wait! There's more!!!
President-elect Donald Trump has demanded Panama reduce fees on the Panama Canal or return it to US control, accusing the central American country of charging "exorbitant prices" to American shipping and naval vessels.
"The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair," he told a crowd of supporters in Arizona on Sunday.
"This complete rip-off of our country will immediately stop," he said, referring to when he takes office next month.
His remarks prompted a quick rebuke from Panama's president, who said "every square metre" of the canal and surrounding area belong to his country.
President JosĂ© RaĂșl Mulino added that Panama's sovereignty and independence were non-negotiable.
Trump made the comments to supporters of Turning Point USA, a conservative activist group that provided significant support to his 2024 election campaign.
It was a rare example of a US leader saying he could push a country to hand over territory - although he did not explain how he would do so - and a sign of how American foreign policy and diplomacy may shift once he enters the White House following his inauguration on 20 January.
-
Has Musk approved any of this?
-
Anything to keep his name in the news, every single day.
-
I can't imagine a "nation" like that would actually vote for the morons who are proposing it.
-
-
Why is anyone taking this seriously? WaPo has a long article on it.
Itâs not going to happen.
-
Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, said Trump tweaking friendly countries harkens back to an aggressive style he used during his days in business.
âYou ask something unreasonable and itâs more likely you can get something less unreasonable,â said Farnsworth, who is also author of the book âPresidential Communication and Character.â
