# Trump now wants to use military force to take the Panama Canal and Greenland **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 7, 2025, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691 "2025-01-07T20:27:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/261 "2025-01-22T05:30:24Z")
The problem with it is that the test is made in a foreign language (Danish) and the Greenlandic parents therefore have the wrong responses. It has been in the news for about a year. Bureaucracy being what it is, it’s not surprising the problem has lasted until now. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/262 "2025-01-22T06:14:43Z")
Or it could be on purpose. That used to be a standard trick with IQ tests; give them in the wrong language to people and claim that the people of that nationality were “all morons”. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/263 "2025-01-22T08:03:52Z")
I hope not, but sure, it could be. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/264 "2025-01-22T08:35:45Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > and I have trouble reading it aloud. Off topic, but having had a Norwegian speaking ex-wife, and hence watching a lot of Scandinavian movies, Danish is quite easy for me to pronounce. Less so than Norwegian and Swedish (which, really, are very closely related). Much less so with Finnish, which seems closer to Russian. I can say the word… but I would have no idea what it meant, if you had not given the translation. I would have probably got some of it right, but by no means the whole compound word. Edit: I can say “Eyjafjallajökull” well enough to be understood albeit with a terrible hybrid UK/South Africa/Zimbabwe accent. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/265 "2025-01-22T11:15:05Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > Much less so with Finnish, which seems closer to Russian. Finnish is not closely related to Russian, although it no doubt has lots of Russian loanwords. Russian is Indo-European; Finnish is in the Uralic language family. Finnish is closely related to Estonian and more distantly related to Hungarian. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/266 "2025-01-23T15:24:20Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > That way, we have room to make Canada _and_ Greenland into states, and still keep the magic number of 50. I absolutely will take up arms against an American occupation of Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/267 "2025-01-23T17:23:29Z")
The United States is now a hostile nation. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2025, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/268 "2025-01-26T06:46:55Z")
> **[Polling USA (@usapolling.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/usapolling.bsky.social/post/3lgmeuvnhfk25)** > > "The US should use military force to obtain new territory like Greenland and the Panama Canal" > > Disagree: 71% > Agree: 9% > > Ipsos / Jan 21, 2025 / n=1077 This is… reassuring, I suppose, but the fact that “Agree” isn’t 0% is troubling, and I want to find the 20% who aren’t sure and smack them silly. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2025, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/269 "2025-01-26T08:57:14Z")
They’re already silly. That’s the problem. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2025, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/270 "2025-01-26T19:27:08Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > This is… reassuring, I suppose, but the fact that “Agree” isn’t 0% is troubling Even back in the good old days (i.e. when Republicans weren’t a cult), you’d still get a number of people to want to use military force for expansion. The percentage may be somewhat higher now, but it’d never be zero. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/271 "2025-01-26T19:52:33Z")
Made up of people who know they won’t be on the front lines on either side. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2025, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/272 "2025-01-26T20:02:42Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I absolutely will take up arms against an American occupation of Canada. Oh please, you know ALL OF CANADA wishes it were really part of the United States, too. THE WHOLE WORLD wishes it was part of the US. We don’t need force to take over Canada. We just offer them our superior access to health care and better climate, they’ll gladly sign up. [The proceeding announcement was brought to you by the Department of Homeland Stupidity. DOSH - now in the Chief Executive Office.] ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/273 "2025-01-27T13:17:27Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Oh please, you know ALL OF CANADA wishes it were really part of the United States, too. THE WHOLE WORLD wishes it was part of the US. That is literally what Jesse Watters said (not verbatim but pretty close). And then he said he was offended that Canada wasn’t jumping at the chance. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2025, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/274 "2025-01-27T13:29:09Z")
> [@abcdefghij](#): > > Freedom isn’t free But it is a free square in Right Wing Buzzword Bingo. It is so sad that the US, once a defender of freedom throughout the world, is about to become a pariah outlaw state shunned by all peaceful nations. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2025, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/275 "2025-01-27T15:48:24Z")
He should be impeached for threatening allies with military force. That would be a first step towards reassuring the world that we’re not completely insane. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2025, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/276 "2025-01-27T16:02:10Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > He should be impeached for threatening allies with military force. That would be a first step towards reassuring the world that we’re not completely insane. - They’ll never believe it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2025, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/277 "2025-01-27T16:45:49Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > He should be impeached for threatening allies with military force. And soon. He shouldn’t be in office for even one Scaramucci. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2025, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/278 "2025-01-27T17:01:23Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > He should be impeached for threatening allies with military force. That would be a first step towards reassuring the world that we’re not completely insane. Thrice impeached? I’m not sure what reassurances that would offer that wasn’t provided the first two times he was impeached. Besides, with the GOP controlling (albeit with slim margins) both the House and Senate unlike the first two attempts, there’s no chance any vote to impeach would pass in the House (or even come up for a vote at all), much less have it come up before the Senate for consideration of guilt. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2025, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/279 "2025-01-27T17:03:54Z")
Every opportunity to express displeasure with this asshole should be taken. We can no longer rely on the Praetorian Guard. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2025, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/280 "2025-01-27T17:12:17Z")
Well, sure. But if we’re in the land of “should have” fantasies, might as well go back to before the election and say that so many people shouldn’t have voted the way they did. There’s a difference between expressing to people overseas that we’re not all supportive of his policies and engaging in schadenfreude. I understand the need for cathartic expressions of displeasure but let’s call them the tantrums they are, rather than dress them up as some sort of signal to external observers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691.md?page=15)