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 h
  • 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)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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