# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/61 "2025-01-08T18:06:35Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > urbandictionary Now I’m sorry I asked. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/62 "2025-01-08T18:08:51Z")
To be fair, it _is_ the second-biggest island in the world, after Australia. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/63 "2025-01-08T18:13:35Z")
I always found that the definition of what constitutes an island and what counts as a continent is arbitrary. Why not claim that Africa (or America) is an Island, bigger than Australia? Or that Australia is a continent, thus Greenland is the biggest island? Anyway, Greenland is almost exactly as big as Mexico, so it is going to pay for the bridge that will connect it to Manhattan. Or was it a metro connection? ---
**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 8, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/64 "2025-01-08T18:13:39Z")
My theory is that he was rejected by a Danish lady at some time and this would be his way of getting back at her, stealing land from her country. The US already has a base there, what more would annexing the island do for national security than the current base does now? If he was serious about the matter, he’d send someone more qualified than his half-witted son with his meager half-vast experience to talk to the Danes. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/65 "2025-01-08T18:15:26Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Or that Australia is a continent, thus Greenland is the biggest island? Australia is a continent, and Greenland is the biggest island. I was making a joke to tweak the Aussies. There is a somewhat non-arbitrary distinction between continents and islands based on geology and plate tectonics, but don’t ask me to elucidate it. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/66 "2025-01-08T18:16:37Z")
Ah, stupid me. OK, enough of this hijack. Happy Birthday! ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/67 "2025-01-08T18:58:04Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > In general, I agree. That said, I think that the more that he says things like this, the more he makes China’s position on Taiwan look reasonable and the more likely it is that China launches an attack on the island, leading to the deaths of many, the loss of many of the planet’s most advanced technologies, and the subjugation of millions by a tyrannical leader. The irony is that, were I the president of Panama, I’d already be in the process of inviting China to build a military base there, staffed with Chinese marines and with a detachment of the Chinese navy. If anyone is able and willing to defend another country against renewed American imperialism, it would be China. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/68 "2025-01-08T19:04:37Z")
The Chinese obtained and then abandoned a bid to dig a new canal through Nicaragua, and are now engaged with Mexico to developing a waterway/rail link across the narrow part of south Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/69 "2025-01-08T19:17:38Z")
But then they would have to go through the Gulf of America. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/70 "2025-01-08T19:20:46Z")
I knew it was not tanTrump’s idea: > **[WA geologist who briefed US welcomes Trump Greenland pitch](https://thewest.com.au/business/mining/perth-geologist-who-briefed-white-house-welcomes-trumps-renewed-interest-in-greenland-c-17323073)** > > Greg Barnes has remained in contact with the US since what he thought was a prank call from the White House in 2019 inviting him to brief Mr Trump’s first administration on his project in Greenland. and this: [https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/greenland-ready-for-its-mining-close-up-but-investors-unwilling-to-look-76344269](https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/greenland-ready-for-its-mining-close-up-but-investors-unwilling-to-look-76344269) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/71 "2025-01-08T20:12:43Z")
I’m not sure about irony. Mar-a-Lago did good business with the Chinese during the first Trump administration. Trump cares about personal profit and big headlines, not China or opposing China. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/72 "2025-01-08T20:37:14Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Who the fuck does he think he is, Benito Mussolini? He does the pose and facial expressions already. I have a friend who refers to him as “Il Douche.” ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/73 "2025-01-08T20:44:14Z")
I’d like to ask @Mikkel – if interested – whether this Trump/Greenland stuff seems to have filtered into the daily news cycle (or discussion among those you know) in Denmark, and – if so – what people seem to be generally saying. And – yeah. I would have, similarly, asked @Colibri the same thing vis-a-vis Panama ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/74 "2025-01-08T23:21:36Z")
I wonder what ally intel agencies like MI6 are making of the US right now? Can they afford to just handwave these kinds of statements, or should they start strategizing around a belligerant, imperialist US? And how do you share intel with someone you think is a loose cannon on a bonfire? ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/75 "2025-01-08T23:30:55Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > As Trump eyes Greenland, Danish king makes it bigger on his coat of arms AND the stalwart fellows supporting the coat of arms now have significantly bigger cudgels. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/76 "2025-01-08T23:31:46Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > And how do you share intel with someone you think is a loose cannon on a bonfire? This. Only the US probably shares more information with its allies than the other way around. That only makes it worse. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/77 "2025-01-09T00:42:00Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Only the US probably shares more information with its allies than the other way around. That only makes it worse. The US intelligence apparatus is good with electronic intelligence (ELINT) and communications intelligence (COMINT) but not great at human intelligence (HUMINT), which is actually where a lot of valuable on the ground insights come from. Losing access to shared HUMINT data would be a real blow to critical information. Not that Trump cares about any of that; I’m sure he believes that he already has all of the ‘intelligence’ he needs. Stranger ---
**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 9, 2025, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/78 "2025-01-09T05:49:15Z")
Trump’s Greenland plans and junior’s visit has been front-page news the last days. The Greenlanders I know are worried. It is so absurd, to use our minister of state’s words from last time. This time Mette Frederiksen has only said that the decision start and end in Nuuk. No one else can decide Greenlands future. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/79 "2025-01-09T06:07:11Z")
Trump receives support from newly elected Representative Brandon Gill (R-Texas-26). > **[Quote of the day: “This is the light of America expanding” - Kevin Drum](https://jabberwocking.com/48728-2/)** > > Brandon Gill attended Dartmouth, where he headed the infamously conservative Dartmouth Review. After graduation he founded the D.C. Enquirer. He's married to Dinesh D'Souza's daughter. A couple of years ago he moved from New York to Texas in order to... On CNN: > [@Brandon Gill](#): > > President Trump is bringing us into a golden age of America. This is the new Manifest Destiny. Reacquiring the Panama Canal, acquiring Greenland, renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. This is the light of America expanding. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/80 "2025-01-09T07:53:37Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Can they afford to just handwave these kinds of statements, or should they start strategizing around a belligerant, imperialist US? And how do you share intel with someone you think is a loose cannon on a bonfire? Quite. But I’m willing to bet that not only are there piles of contingency plans already, but also we won’t hear about it - just yet. What I don’t get is that, if anyone’s worried about an independent Greenland sucking up to China, why not look for agreements all round that they would do nothing to imperil US national security, rather than setting out on the course of action guaranteed to get your negotiation partners’ backs up? Seems entirely counter-productive. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691.md?page=5)