United States President-elect Donald Trump hinted at possible military intervention in the Americas and the Middle East, in addition to other items on his foreign policy agenda, during a large-scale press conference in Florida.
Trump spoke from his home at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, a day after Congress formally certified his victory in November’s general election. The press conference also comes just 13 days before Trump is sworn in for his second term on January 20.
The president-elect touched on several domestic topics, pledging to repeal environmental restrictions and pardon supporters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
But his most important statements concerned foreign policy. Trump articulated a sweeping expansionist vision, with consequences for countries around the world.
He reiterated his desire to do so American control of the Panama Canaland Greenland and Canada, while stressing that “all hell will break loose” if prisoners held in Gaza are not released before he takes office.
In one conversation with reporters, Trump was asked whether he would rule out using military force or economic coercion to take control of the Panama Canal or Greenland, an autonomous Danish region. He refused.
“I will not commit to that,” Trump said. Then head towards the canal, which is an arterial trade route linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. “Maybe you should do something. The Panama Canal is vital to our country.”
He later added: “We need Greenland for national security purposes.”
The prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark have ruled out the possibility of transferring the sprawling Antarctic island to US control.
Likewise, the government of Panama has maintained that the canal will remain Panamanian, as it has been since the United States relinquished control of it in 1999, following a treaty negotiated under the late US President Jimmy Carter.
Eyes on Canada
Trump also made bold statements about his intentions toward Canada, one of the United States’ largest trading partners.
The country shares an 8,891-kilometre (5,525-mile) border with the United States, and Trump has suggested in recent weeks that it should become the United States’ 51st state.
But during Tuesday’s news conference, he ruled out using military force against Canada, which has traditionally been a close ally — but not “economic power.”
“Get rid of the artificially drawn line, take a look at what it looks like, and it would also be much better for national security,” Trump said, referring to the border between the United States and Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau quickly responded to this possibility on social media.
“There’s not much of a chance in hell that Canada will become part of the United States,” Trudeau said. books.
Meanwhile, Trump renewed his pledge to impose “major tariffs” on Mexico and Canada if they do not comply with demands to stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking into the United States.
Trump had previously threatened to impose 25% tariffs on the two countries, despite economists’ warnings that trade wars could distort North America’s highly interconnected industries.
In another reference to changing the regional map, Trump said that the Gulf of Mexico should be called “America’s Gulf.” He joked that it had a “beautiful ring.”
“Hell will break loose”
Trump spent a lot of time discussing Israel’s war in Gaza, a conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 45,885 Palestinians and raised fears of gross human rights violations.
The president-elect invited his nominee for Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to the podium to provide new information about the negotiations.
Witkoff, a real estate investor with no foreign policy experience, was part of recent ceasefire talks in the Middle East.
In seemingly improvised remarks, Witkoff said: “I think we’ve made some really great progress, and I really hope that by the inauguration, we’ll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president.”
But the president-elect took a tougher stance, focusing on the release of the remaining prisoners held by Hamas after the attack that occurred on October 8, 2023, in southern Israel. Israel estimates that about 100 people are still being held by Hamas.
Trump pledge He said that “all hell will break loose” in the Middle East if Hamas does not release the prisoners by the time he takes office.
Some observers interpreted Trump’s statement as a threat of possible US military intervention in Gaza, a line that outgoing President Joe Biden refused to cross, despite increased military aid to Israel.
Asked to explain what he meant at the press conference, Trump demurred: “Do I have to define it for you? All hell will break loose if these hostages don’t come back.”
“If they are not back by the time I take office, all hell will break loose in the Middle East, and it will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone. All hell will break loose. No need to say more, but that’s what it is.” .
Syria policy
Trump gave a characteristically vague answer when asked about… The future of American forces In Syria. The Pentagon says about 2,000 US soldiers remain in the country as part of a mission to rein in the ISIS militant group.
But questions have been raised about long-term US involvement in Syria after the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad in early December.
US forces have been supporting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria since 2014, as a multi-sided civil war erupted in the country.
But this support was put in place Washington disagrees with Turkey, its NATO ally, which considers members of the People’s Protection Units – the bulk of the Syrian Democratic Forces’ fighters – “terrorists.”
By contrast, Türkiye supported the rebel groups that eventually ousted Assad.
During his first term, Trump floated the possibility of withdrawing US forces from Syria. Most recently, in December, he posted on his Social Truth platform that the United States “shouldn’t do anything” with Syria.
But at Tuesday’s press conference, he instead chose ambiguity about the future of US intervention in Syria.
He said: “I will not tell you that, because this is part of a military strategy.”
Instead, he praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom he described as a “friend” and “a very smart man.”
“He sent his people there (Syria) in different forms and under different names, and they came in and took power, and that’s the way it is,” Trump said.
Some analysts have speculated that Trump may be more willing than previous US presidents to hand over anti-ISIS operations to Türkiye.
NATO has to pay more
Trump also weighed in on other NATO allies, saying the alliance’s 32 members should do so. Increase their defense spending To 5% of GDP.
This is a significant increase from the current minimum target of 2 percent.
Trump has regularly accused coalition members of underpaying and suggested withdrawing if spending is not increased.
“They can all afford it, but it should be 5%, not 2%,” Trump said.
He added: “If they pay their bills, and if I think they are treating us fairly, then the answer is definitely that I will stay with NATO.” But he warned that he might withdraw his support if he did not feel the United States was being treated fairly.
In one anecdote, he compared NATO allies to debtors delinquent on their bills: “If you’re delinquent, we won’t protect you.”
The threat comes as NATO has gained increasing importance amid Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022.
Trump has always maintained that the Russian invasion would not have happened on his watch. On Tuesday, he again pledged to mediate a quick solution.
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