Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to use “economic force” against Canada, after having affirmed the day before that it was in the interest of this ally of the United States to become the “51st state” of America.
Asked if he would consider using the armed forces to annex Canada, the president-elect responded no, economic strength
before adding that Canada was subsidized
by the United States for its protection.
If we eliminate the artificially drawn border and see what it looks like, it would also be much better for national security
he declared during a press conference given Tuesday at his Florida residence in Mar-a-Lago.
On Monday, the day the resignation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was announced, Donald Trump reiterated that Canada should merge
with the United States.
At the end of November, Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs of 25% on all products entering the United States through the Canadian and Mexican borders. On January 20, as one of my many first executive orders, I will sign all necessary documents to impose 25% tariffs on ALL products entering the United States on Mexico and Canada
wrote the president-elect in a publication on his network, Truth Social.
This tax will remain in effect until drugs, especially fentanyl, and all illegal immigrants stop this invasion of our country!
he added.
Ottawa reagit
Never, ever, will Canada be part of the United States, responded the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, following Mr. Trump’s statements. Workers and communities in our two countries benefit from being each other’s greatest trading and security partners.
In reaction to the remarks of the elected president of the United States, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Mélanie Joly, published on President-elect Trump’s comments demonstrate a complete misunderstanding of what makes Canada strong
.
Our economy is strong. Our people are strong. We will never back down from threats.
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Mélanie Joly, head of Canadian diplomacy, launched Canada’s foreign policy for the Arctic in December, a month during which she also promoted Canada’s border plan to President Trump’s transition team. (Archive photo)
Photo: The Canadian Press / Sean Kilpatrick
Annex Panama and Greenland
At the same press conference on Tuesday, Trump also refused to rule out a possible annexation, by force, of the Panama Canal and Greenland.
I can’t assure you of either of them.
declared the president-elect, when asked about a possible use of armed forces to annex the canal, a vital artery of global maritime transport, and Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
During this provocative press conference, Donald Trump added that the two were very important for economic security
of the United States.
The president-elect also said he intended to rename the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of America, what a beautiful name
he gushed.
The defense budget of NATO members
About the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (I’LL TAKE), Donald Trump said Tuesday that the respective defense budgets of the organization’s member countries should reach 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP). They can all afford it
he assured. They should be 5%, not 2%
.
This is not the first time that Mr. Trump has castigated members of theI’LL TAKE for their insufficient contribution to the Atlantic Alliance, pillar of security in Europe since the Second World War.
In February, while he was on the electoral campaign, the Republican billionaire threatened to no longer guarantee the protection of the countries ofI’LL TAKE against Russia if they did not devote a sufficient budget to their defense.
Recently, in an interview, he had this statement: if they pay their bills, and if I think they treat us fairly, the answer is absolutely I would stay with theI’LL TAKE
.
Ten years ago, when Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, NATO countries committed to spending at least 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) to military spending. 23 out of 32 have kept this commitment.
The head of the Atlantic Alliance, Mark Rutte, himself warned last month that Europe must spend much more
to ensure its defense.
In Canada, the Minister of National Defense, Bill Blair, said he was ready, in November, to work with the new administration of Donald Trump so that Canada more quickly achieves the military spending targets set by theI’LL TAKE.
Also read:
Military spending: Canada will reach NATO target in 2032, Trudeau announces
With information from Agence France-Presse, Reuters, CBC and Le Monde
