The president-elect of the United States spoke to reporters less than two weeks before he takes office on January 20.
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United States President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday he has not ruled out the use of military force to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, saying U.S. control of those two countries was vital to American national security.
Speaking to reporters less than two weeks before he takes office on Jan. 20 and while a delegation of aides and advisers including his son Donald Trump Jr. is in Greenland, Donald Trump left open the possibility of use the US military to secure both territories.
“I’m not going to commit to that.”he said when asked if he ruled out the use of the army. “You may have to do something. The Panama Canal is vital to our country”. He added: “We need Greenland for national security reasons”. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a long-time ally of the United States and a founding member of NATO.
“Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders”Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had declared earlier.
A former colony of Denmark, Greenland obtained its autonomy in 1979, which it exercises through its Parliament. Copenhagen still exercises control over Greenland’s foreign and defense policy. A treaty with the United States, with the American base, also gives Washington a right of oversight over the defense of the territory.
Donald Trump has also proposed in recent days that Canada join the United States. He said he would not use military force to achieve this and would rely on “economic strength”.
A “golden age of America”, according to Trump
Promising a “Golden Age of America”Donald Trump also said he would try to rename the Gulf of Mexico “Gulf of America”claiming that this name had a “beautiful resonance”.
The Republican also took advantage of his press conference to complain about the fact that Joe Biden was, according to him, undermining his transition to power. The day before, the outgoing president took steps to ban offshore energy drilling in most federal waters. A decision that could require an act of Congress to overturn.
“I will restore the situation from day one”Donald Trump told the press. He pledged to go to court “if necessary”.
