December 24th 2024.
Donald Trump is once again making headlines with his desire to acquire Greenland. This comes after his unsuccessful attempts during his first term as US president to purchase the island from Denmark. Trump seems to be picking fights with allied countries even before officially taking office on January 20th.
On Sunday, Trump announced his choice for ambassador to Denmark and stated that owning and controlling Greenland is crucial for national security and freedom around the world. This follows his recent suggestion that the US should reclaim the Panama Canal due to rising shipping costs. He has also floated the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state and referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the governor of the "Great State of Canada."
Some political experts see this as a tactic that Trump used in his business days, where he would ask for something unreasonable in order to negotiate for something more reasonable. Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor, believes that this is Trump's way of trying to secure a win for the US.
Greenland, known as the world's largest island, sits between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans and is mostly covered by an ice sheet. It gained home rule from Denmark in 1979 and its leader, Múte Bourup Egede, has made it clear that Greenland is not for sale and will never be for sale. The Danish Prime Minister's Office also stated that they are looking forward to welcoming the new American ambassador and working with the new administration.
Trump's offer to buy Greenland was rejected by Denmark in 2019, leading to Trump canceling a planned visit. He also made controversial statements about the Panama Canal, claiming that the US is getting "ripped off" and suggesting that the US should demand it back. However, Panama's president made it clear that the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to do so.
These recent flareups with Greenland and Panama come after Trump's comment on social media that "Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State." He even posted a picture of himself with a Canadian flag, suggesting that Canada may want to join the US. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau dismissed this as a joke, but the two leaders did meet to discuss Trump's threats to impose tariffs on Canadian goods.
Political experts see this as Trump trying to leverage his words to gain concessions from Canada and other countries. They believe that even if the US does not acquire Greenland or reclaim the Panama Canal, Trump may still claim a win by getting other concessions from these countries. It remains to be seen how these tensions will affect transatlantic cooperation and relationships with allied countries.
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