Trump won't rule out military, economic action as he seeks control of Panama Canal, Greenland

Record ID: 1895903

  • Title: Trump won't rule out military, economic action as he seeks control of Panama Canal, Greenland
  • Date: 7th January 2025
  • Summary: PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 7, 2025) (UNRESTRICTED POOL) U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP WALKING UP TO PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "Well, we need Greenland for national security purposes. I've been told that for a long time, long before I even ran. I mean, people have been talking about it for a long time. You have approximately 45,000 people there. 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. That's for the free world. I'm talking about protecting the free world you look at, you don't even need binoculars, you look outside, you have China ships all over the place. You have Russian ships all over the place. We're not letting that happen. We're not letting it happen. And if Denmark wants to, get to a conclusion, but nobody knows if they even have any right, title or interest, the people are going to probably vote for independence or to come into the United States. But if they did, if they did do that, then I would tariff Denmark at a very high level." REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "I can assure you you're talking about Panama and Greenland. No, I can assure you on either of those two. But, I can say this. We need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for our military.(OFF CAMAERA REPORTER ASKS IF TRUMP WILL TAKE MILITARY ACTION) I'm not going to commit to that now. It might. It might be that you'll have to do something. Look, the Panama Canal is vital to our country. 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. They've abused that gift. It should have never been made by the way. Giving the Panama Canal is why Jimmy Carter lost the election, in my opinion, more so maybe than the hostages. The hostages were a big deal. But if you remember, nobody wants to talk about the Panama Canal because, you know, it's inappropriate, I guess. But, because it's a bad part of of the Carter legacy. But, he was a good man. Look, he was a good man. I know him a little bit, and he was a very fine person. But that was a big mistake. Giving the Panama Canal to Panama was a very big mistake." REPORTERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "The Panama Canal is a disgrace. What took place at the Panama Canal? Jimmy Carter gave it to them for $1, and they were supposed to treat us well. I thought it was a terrible thing to do." TIGHT SHOT OF REPORTERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "We gave it away for a dollar. But the deal was that, you know, they have to treat us fairly. They don't treat us fairly. They charge more for our ships than they charge for ships of other countries. They charge more for our Navy than they charge for navies of other countries. They laugh at us because they think we're stupid, but we're not stupid anymore. So the Panama Canal is under discussion with them right now. They violated every aspect of the agreement, and it's they morally violated it also." REPORTERS TRYING TO ASK QUESTIONS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "Changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring that covers a lot of territory, the Gulf of America. What a beautiful name." REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "Economic force, because Canada and the United States, that would really be something. 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. You don't forget, we basically protect Canada. " SIDE SHOT OF TRUMP AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "We don't need anything they have. We don't need their dairy products, we have more than they have. We don't need anything, so why are we losing $200 billion a year and more to protect Canada? And I said that to, as I called him, Governor Trudeau. I said, listen, what would happen if we didn't subsidize you if we didn't? Because we give them a lot of money, we help them." SIDE SHOT OF TRUMP AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "But why are we supporting a country 200 billion plus a year? Our military is at their disposal. All of these other things, they should be a state. That's why I told Trudeau when he came down, I said what would happen if we didn't do it? " SIDE SHOT OF TRUMP LEAVING PODIUM
  • Embargoed: 21st January 2025 18:09
  • Keywords: Canada China Greenland Jimmy Carter Panama Panama Canal Trudeau Trump
  • Location: PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
  • City: PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: US
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,North America,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001149407012025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: President-elect Donald Trump declined on Tuesday (January 7) to rule out military or economic action as part of his avowed desire to have the U.S. take back control of the Panama Canal and acquire the Danish territory of Greenland.
    Asked at a press conference whether he could assure the world that he would not use military or economic coercion as he tries to gain control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, Trump said, "No, I can't assure you on either of those two. But I can say this, we need them for economic security."
    The extraordinary statement came as Trump further outlined an expansionist agenda, two weeks before he is sworn into office at the Jan. 20 inauguration in Washington.
    He reiterated his interest in making Canada into a U.S. state and criticized American spending on Canadian goods and military support for Canada, one of the country's closest allies.
    Trump suggested he would impose tariffs on Denmark if it resists his offer to purchase Greenland, which he said is vital to U.S. national security. Denmark has said Greenland is not for sale.
    Trump also vowed to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and repeated his promise to impose significant tariffs on Mexico and Canada.
    Mexican and Panamanian authorities did not immediately comment. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino has previously rejected the notion of turning the canal back to the U.S., which had owned it before handing over control to Panama in 1999.
    (Production: Deborah Lutterbeck)
  • Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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