Trump suggests he could use military force to acquire Panama Canal and Greenland and ‘economic force’ to annex Canada

President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested he would consider using military force to gain control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, and “economic force” to acquire Canada.

During a free-wheeling news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump was asked by a reporter if he could assure the public that he would not use military coercion against Panama or Greenland, a goal he has floated in recent weeks. “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two, but I can say this, we need them for economic security,” Trump said. He said later that he would not use military force against Canada, only “economic force.”

“That would really be something,” Trump said of the U.S. taking control of Canada.

“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,” Trump said. “They’re great, but we’re spending hundreds of billions here to protect it. We’re spending hundreds of billions a year to take care of Canada. We lose in trade deficits.”

He has quipped lately that it should become the 51st state and on Tuesday said that he had joked with the country’s legendary hockey pro Wayne Gretsky about becoming “governor.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ten-year term came to an abrupt end on Monday amid party infighting over his handling of Trump and the promise of 25% tariffs that Trump has promised to enact.

Since winning the 2024 presidential election, Trump has touted a strategic interest for the U.S. in purchasing Greenland, an Arctic island that is part of Danish territory, reiterating his desire to acquire the island last month. It’s not a new idea for Trump: A gambit to purchase Greenland was mocked when it came up during his first term in office. His eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., was on the ground Tuesday filming for a documentary accompanied by at least two incoming White House officials.

“Well we need greater national security purposes, I’ve been told that for a long time, long before I even ran,” Trump told reporters. “You have approximately 45,000 people there. People really don’t even know that Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security.” He threatened to levy tariffs on Denmark at “a very high level” if it thwarted efforts by the Arctic island to seek independence or to join the U.S.

In a video posted to social media earlier in the day, Trump called into a lunch event on the island with Trump Jr.

Of Panama, Trump claimed the U.S. is treated unfairly when it is charged higher rates for its ships to sail the Canal than those of other countries, and that Panama is in “violation” of a deal with the U.S. Trump said Panama has requested $3 billion from the U.S. to help repair the canal even as “China is basically taking it over.” He has threatened to try to take it back. 

Trump has offered few details on how he might carry out his plans to grow the U.S. footprint, even as he promised throughout the press conference to return the U.S. to a “golden age” of improved national security and “common sense.”

“This will be the golden age of America,” Trump said.