Is Trump Serious About Buying Greenland and the Panama Canal?

According to RIA Novosti, the New York Post reported that US President-elect Donald Trump is very serious about acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal, considering his country a territory that needs expansion.

“The president is 100 percent serious,” one of the publication’s sources said, assessing Mr. Trump’s stance on Greenland and the Panama Canal.

Meanwhile, CNN said that Mr. Trump seems to be considering expanding US territory. If he is serious, this would be similar to the Louisiana Purchase or the agreement to buy Alaska from Russia.

He has previously taunted Canadian officials by suggesting that the United States could annex its northern neighbor, making it the “51st state.” He has threatened to take over the Panama Canal, the U.S.-built waterway that has been controlled by Panama for a quarter of a century.

And on December 22, he reiterated his first-term ambition to acquire Greenland, a Danish island he has long had his eye on.

For President-elect Trump, the distinction between serious policy proposals and bombastic rhetoric designed to attract media attention is not always clear. In some cases, his “over-the-top” actions appear to be opening salvos in his negotiating efforts, according to CNN.

As evidence for this argument, CNN reported that when he warned that he would take back the Panama Canal, Mr. Trump offered a solution for the country to avoid criticism: reducing fees for US ships using this route to travel between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. However, these proposals have similarities, focusing on expanding the US footprint and influence beyond the region.

Trump's transition team has declined to clarify whether the latest statements reflect the president-elect's true ambitions or other motives.

Some people close to Trump and in the transition have been unable to pinpoint the source of his sudden interest in ongoing operations at the Panama Canal — a topic he did not raise on the campaign trail. But one adviser noted that Trump regularly raises issues that interest people, from longtime friends to new acquaintances. Since winning the election last month, Trump has spent most days hosting close allies, business moguls, donors and national leaders at his Palm Beach estate.

Another adviser said concerns about the treatment of U.S. companies in Panama may have influenced Mr. Trump, since “trade is his top concern.” Pressing Panama to reduce fees for ships using the canal could also help offset expected increases in product costs due to tariffs Mr. Trump plans to impose on foreign goods.