President-elect Donald Trump took aim at Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal in a series of social media posts on Christmas Day that suggested the United States could take control of all three.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump began the extensive posts by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, “including China’s wonderful soldiers who lovingly, but illegally, operate the Panama Canal.”
He referred to the American lives lost during the construction of the canal more than 100 years ago, adding that the United States “puts up billions of dollars in money for ‘reparations,’ but will have absolutely no say in ‘anything.'”
Trump then mocked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom he called “governor,” and suggested once again that the United States could annex Canada as its 51st state.
He wrote that “if Canada became our 51st state, its taxes would be reduced by more than 60%, its businesses would immediately double in size, and it would be militarily protected like no other country in the world.”
Trump continued his post by addressing the “people of Greenland, who the United States needs for national security reasons and who want the United States to be there, and we will do it!”
Trump said in another post that he had encouraged former professional hockey star Wayne Gretzky to run for prime minister of Canada, but that Gretzky “had no interest.”
In his posts on Wednesday, Trump also mocked President Joe Biden as “a man who has absolutely no idea what he’s doing” and sent Christmas greetings to “radical left lunatics.”
The posts are based on a series of messages Trump has delivered in recent weeks.
Trump has recently suggested that his administration could gain control of the Panama Canal, criticizing the fees Panama has charged for using it.
The United States helped build the crucial shipping canal in the early 20th century and controlled it until 1977, when it signed an agreement to eventually hand over control to Panama. The two countries shared the operation of the canal until 1999, when Panama took full control of it under the agreement.
In a formal announcement by his presidential transition team on Wednesday, Trump said he would nominate Kevin Marino Cabrera as U.S. ambassador to Panama, a country he accused of “ripping us off in the Panama Canal, far beyond his wildest dream.” ”.
Cabrera is a member of the Miami-Dade County Commission and the Miami-Dade International Trade Consortium.
Trump floated the idea of purchasing Greenland, which is part of Denmark, during his first term. But this week he showed new interest in the issue in his statement announcing his intention to nominate Ken Howery as ambassador to Denmark.
Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede this week rejected Trump’s comments about his country.
As for Canada, Trump in recent weeks has also mocked Trudeau as Canada’s “governor” and warned of tariffs on the country. He also previously joked that Canada should become the 51st state. Fox News reported this month that Trump also raised the possibility directly with Trudeau during a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
