Donald Trump has not ruled out using military force to take over Greenland and the Panama Canal in a bizarre press conference.
“We’re going to treat you well,” the younger Trump told Greenlanders in the capital of Nuuk.
But with the US borders remaining fixed for generations, why is Trump pushing to take over the largest island in the world?
Why does Trump want Greenland?
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, and has been connected to the European nation for centuries.
Despite its immense size, Greenland has a tiny population of just 56,000, making it slightly smaller than Wagga Wagga and slightly larger than Shepparton.
But the US has several military bases on the island, including the northernmost installation of the armed forces, the Pituffik Space Base.
Its location in the middle of the north Atlantic and its proximity to Russia over the North Pole has made the island strategically valuable.
“We need Greenland for national security purposes,” Trump said at the press conference.
The Pituffik Space Base, now operated by the US Space Force, is used to detect intercontinental ballistic missiles that could be fired at North America.
But the Danish government has done little to impede the US’s military presence in Greenland, rendering an annexation unnecessary.
What do people in Greenland think?
Greenland’s prime minister Múte Bourup Egede has roundly rejected the Trump annexation plan.
But the leader also staunchly believes in independence from Denmark.
“Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland. Our future and fight for independence is our business,” he said in a statement.
“While others, including Danes and Americans, are entitled to their opinions, but we should not be caught up in the hysteria and external pressures distract us from our path.”
And Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was also not receptive to the idea.
“There is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future either.”
Could Trump really use military?
This probably wouldn’t happen, because it’s unlikely Trump would follow through on his threats.
Trump’s threats of heavy tariffs against Denmark would also not be advantageous to the US.
The bulk of Denmark’s exports to the US are specialised medical technology and pharmaceuticals.
The biggest import from Denmark to the US is the highly sought-after weight-loss drug Ozempic, which is currently patented and made by a Danish company.
Why does Trump want the Panama Canal?
The Panama Canal, the man-made waterway cutting through the Central American nation of Panama, is one of the most valuable pieces of infrastructure in the world.
The canal allows ships to avoid sailing around South America, shaving 21 days from the average journey.
The canal was built with American money and from 1914 to 1999 was controlled by the US.
But it has been under Panamanian control since then, providing a major source of revenue for the country.
Trump has argued that Panama is charging “exorbitant” fees for using the canal, and inferred it was falling into the hands of China.
What is Panama’s response?
Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha has rejected Trump’s bid to seize the canal.
“The sovereignty of our canal is not negotiable and is part of our history of struggle and an irreversible conquest,” he said.
Last month President José Raúl Mulino outright rejected any discussions of changing ownership of the canal.
“The canal is Panamanian and belongs to Panamanians,” he said.
“There’s no possibility of opening any kind of conversation around this reality, which has cost the country blood, sweat and tears.”
