‘America First’? Donald Trump Sets Eyes On Acquiring Canada, Greenland | EUROtoday

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump promised to repair all of America’s issues, together with two of the most important problems with the 2024 election: the excessive value of residing and immigration and enforcement on the U.S.-Mexico border.

He didn’t point out something on the marketing campaign path about increasing America’s borders by annexing territory from longstanding U.S. allies — together with by hostile means, if essential.

With simply two weeks till his inauguration, nevertheless, Trump is pushing — or no less than joking about pushing — to soak up the sovereign nation of Canada, one in every of America’s closest allies, and extra critically selling the seizure or buy of Greenland, which is owned by Denmark, one other steadfast U.S. ally and NATO member. Along along with his said want to reassert U.S. management over the Panama Canal, Trump’s newest twist in overseas coverage would usher in a brand new period of American imperialism not seen for the reason that late nineteenth century.

At a press convention on Tuesday, the president-elect even refused to rule out utilizing navy pressure or financial sanctions to take management of Greenland and the Panama Canal, arguing the U.S. wanted them to stem the affect of Russia and China and to bolster nationwide safety.

“It might be that you’ll have to do something,” Trump mentioned in reference to doubtlessly utilizing navy or financial pressure.

And in one other transfer harkening again to the Manifest Destiny ethos of a bygone period, Trump vowed to alter the identify of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” a reputation he mentioned has a “beautiful ring to it.” The ocean basin that borders 5 U.S. states to the north and Mexico to the south has carried some model of the Gulf of Mexico identify, given to it by Spanish colonizers, for the reason that 1540s.

Foreign leaders in Canada, Denmark and Panama didn’t take kindly to Trump’s feedback, dismissing the thought of ceding their territory and noting their assist for the U.S. throughout its occasions of want. Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico, appeared to joke that her nation would begin calling the United States “Mexican America” based mostly on an outdated Mexican map of North America.

On Capitol Hill, most GOP lawmakers didn’t appear to be taking Trump’s feedback critically whilst they agreed with him that the U.S. had an curiosity in buying Greenland and the Panama Canal.

“I don’t really want to invade Denmark, but I think it’s hard to deny that Greenland would be a really nice strategic piece of property,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) mentioned, earlier than including that “a military invasion would be a diplomatic disaster.”

Asked concerning the detrimental response inside Canada to Trump’s feedback, Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) mentioned he liked the U.S. neighbor, including that he’s “open to whatever we can work out with our friends in Canada.”

“I hope they don’t take offense. They are our closest ally,” the senator, whose state borders Canada, famous to HuffPost.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) mentioned she didn’t assume Trump’s concepts had been “frivolous.” However, the senator mentioned she would personally be centered on combating inflation, fixing the border and chopping spending, referring to them as “the things that voters thought were important during the election.”

In the House, Trump obtained an enthusiastic endorsement from the Republican majority on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which expressed assist for annexing Canada and Greenland by saying on social media that “it’s un-American to be afraid of big dreams.” The committee later deleted the submit.

Other Trump allies mentioned they believed his threats had been meant to deliver nations like Canada to the desk throughout coming negotiations with the Trump administration over commerce and immigration.

“He is just setting up a stalking horse to create leverage for trade negotiations,” YourVoice CEO Bill Mitchell wrote in a submit on-line.

On the opposite aspect of the aisle, nevertheless, Democrats dismissed Trump’s speak of annexing overseas nations as merely a ploy that’s meant to distract Americans from his agenda of tax cuts for the rich. Trump is ready to fulfill with Republicans on the Capitol in a while Wednesday to debate their technique for reconciliation, which might pair an extension of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts with steep spending cuts to authorities applications.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) mentioned he would associate with Trump’s plan to rename the Gulf of Mexico “only if he first agrees to work with us on an actual plan to lower costs for Americans.”

“That is what the American people want us to focus on first, not on renaming bodies of water,” Schumer added in a ground speech on Wednesday.

Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) made the same level, dismissing dialogue over Trump’s newest outbursts as “déjà vu all over again.”

“Do we chase everything that he says?” Welch requested of Trump. “Do we want to have a caucus position on the ‘Gulf of America’? I’d rather have a caucus position on lower prescription drug prices.”

“You ask me about Greenland today, it maybe Latvia tomorrow. Who knows?” he added.