President-elect Donald Trump made waves during the holidays with a series of social media posts suggesting that the United States could assert control over the Panama Canal, annex Canada, and acquire Greenland. The posts, which included criticisms of world leaders and policies, came alongside Trump's official announcement of key ambassadorships.
Regarding Panama, Trump included a pointed remark about China's involvement near the Panama Canal. "Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal," he wrote. He went on to make reference to the 38,000 American lives lost during the canal's construction over a century ago and criticized the billions of dollars the U.S. spends on canal-related maintenance without having "anything to say about 'anything.'"
The Panama Canal, a critical shipping route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, was built by the U.S. in the early 20th century and controlled by Washington until 1977, when a treaty initiated by President Jimmy Carter transferred authority to Panama. Full control passed to Panama in 1999. Trump accused the country of "ripping us off" through high fees and suggested reclaiming U.S. oversight of the waterway.
Trump announced on Wednesday his intent to nominate Kevin Marino Cabrera, a Miami-Dade County commissioner, as the U.S. ambassador to Panama. Cabrera, a staunch supporter of Trump's policies, has been active in Florida politics and recently served on the Republican National Committee.
Trump's posts also revisited his interest in acquiring Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark. While he first raised the idea during his presidency, he renewed the topic in conjunction with his nomination of Ken Howery as ambassador to Denmark.
Greenland's leadership has made clear that the autonomous island will not be sold after Trump expressed an interest in controlling the territory. "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom," Prime Minister Múte Egede said in a statement.
Turning to Canada, Trump reignited his criticism of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, referring to him as "governor" and joking about making Canada the 51st U.S. state. Trump claimed such an annexation would cut Canadian taxes by 60% and double business growth while providing unparalleled military protection. He also revealed that he had encouraged hockey legend Wayne Gretzky to run for Canada's prime ministership, though Gretzky reportedly declined.
In addition to his mocking of the neighboring country's sovereignty, Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries fail to curb illegal crossings and drug trafficking. Earlier this month, Trudeau promised to strengthen border security after a meeting with Trump in Florida. Measures include deploying drones, acquiring police helicopters, and reassigning personnel to key areas. The leaders also discussed trade and other common issues.
A few weeks later, the Canadian government announced C$1.3 billion ($913 million) investment to enhance border security over the next six years, with funds that will be allocated to Public Safety Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Communications Security Establishment, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Trump's holiday posts concluded with sharp remarks about President Joe Biden, whom he called "a man who has absolutely no idea what he is doing," and a greeting to the "radical left lunatics." These comments build on Trump's recent criticism of domestic and international policies as he prepares to take office in January.
Trump has filed a legal motion requesting an immediate halt to the Biden administration's alleged sale of unused border wall materials, which was originally reported by conservative outlet Daily Wire a few days ago, infuriating Republican politicians like Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Congressman Dan Crenshaw. Trump's legal team alleges these sales could constitute deliberate obstruction of his policy goals, describing them as "acts of sabotage."
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