# 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:** 48
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/941 "2026-02-23T00:04:59Z")
It seems nobody on Team Trump Toady is willing to offer up any kind of comment to the press about this latest insane Trump tweet. They appear to be just hoping it will go away. Best guess is that Trump was briefed on a situation whereby Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command evacuated a crew member from a U.S. submarine in Greenlandic waters. Trump’s addled brain did not understand what he was being told, leading to this dementia fueled moment. And this is the person who is likely to go to war against Iran for… reasons… God help us all. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/942 "2026-02-23T00:13:19Z")
Well, Jeff Landry replied on Twitter, “Thank you, President @realDonaldTrump! Proud to work with you on this important issue!” So not _totally_ ignored by his administration. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/943 "2026-02-23T01:08:16Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Greenland’s PM says no thanks, and both the Navy’s hospital ships are currently in drydock. From what I read, they are both in maintenance, with one in dry dock. And [The Comfort will supposedly be usable at the end of April.](https://aladefense.com/navys-usns-comfort-hospital-ship-slated-for-return-to-mobile/) So, even though Trump did write that the ship was “on the way!!!”, I don’t think delaying until after refit should, just by itself, be a big issue. Realistically, if Trump persists with this idea, I do not see the Danes or Greenlanders shooting up a hospital ship. I actually think it could be in their interest to have it there. Here’s why. Because, googling tells me, Greenland health care has virtually zero copays, only a tiny number of Greenlanders will send their ailing family members to the ship. But you know who would go there? Greenland’s potential quislings. This could surface who they are. Or would Trump order a regiment of Marines to hide in the hospital ship and pop out when it docks in Greenland? Is he that cartoonishly evil? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/944 "2026-02-23T01:13:31Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Is he that cartoonishly evil? Once you’ve decided to abandon the norms of reasonable national conduct what’s violating an explicit rule in the law of war? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/945 "2026-02-23T01:39:05Z")
Re last post, and thinking about this more seriously, I would not be astonished to read, in Bob Woodward’s next book, that Trump had ordered packing the hospital ship with Marines. But even with Hegseth in the room, I think the military would stand up to Trump. Maybe an admiral would suggest the impossibility of keeping it is secret. And this is just the sort of situation where the Slotkin/Kelly/Deulzio/Goodlander/Houlihan/Crow YouTube, on standing up to an illegal order, would prove its worth. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2026, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/946 "2026-02-23T01:48:11Z")
I don’t think Trump has “ordered” anything at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/947 "2026-02-23T02:00:29Z")
In response to Trump’s offer of a hospital ship, the prime minister of Greenland said on Facebook, “That will be ‘no thanks’ from us. President Trump’s idea has been duly noted. But we have a public health system where care is free for citizens.” Meanwhile the Danish prime minister said she is “happy to live in a country where there is free and equal access to health for all. Where it is not insurance and wealth that determines whether you receive proper treatment. The same approach is in Greenland.” ---
**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:** [February 23, 2026, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/948 "2026-02-23T07:23:59Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Proud to work with you on this important issue! Makes a change from “Thank you your attention to this matter” while being equally meaningless ---
**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:** [February 23, 2026, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/949 "2026-02-23T10:13:44Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I don’t think Trump has “ordered” anything at this point. Another Diet Coke, maybe… ---
**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:** [February 23, 2026, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/950 "2026-02-23T11:32:07Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I don’t think Trump has “ordered” anything at this point. Well, maybe. There’s “ordered” and “ordered something meaningful and actionable”. Since Trump is impulsive, dictatorial and mercurial and those drydocked ships physically can’t actually go anywhere for months, I think it’s plausible Trump gave some vague order about sending hospital ships, his minions said “yessir”, and are banking on Trump not even remembering the matter when the ships are actually back in the water. Probably with a good chance of being right. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/951 "2026-02-23T16:16:43Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > are banking on Trump not even remembering the matter when the ships are actually back in the water. I’m confident that Trump does not remember the matter _today_. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2026, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/952 "2026-02-23T16:38:57Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I’m confident that Trump does not remember the matter _today_. Quite likely. He tends to forget about things he doesn’t fixate on instead, like tariffs or last term, his border wall. It’s unfortunate that his expansionist plans appear to fall into the “fixate” category. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2026, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/953 "2026-02-27T19:20:04Z")
[![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/uS3edwK.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/uS3edwK) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/954 "2026-02-27T19:42:42Z")
I’m not entirely unconvinced that Trump’s Greenland ambition wasn’t part of a publicity stunt for the new Gerald Butler _Greenland_ film sequel. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/955 "2026-03-03T00:28:47Z")
From today’s Washington Times: [Trump needs to take Greenland](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/mar/2/trump-needs-take-greenland/) I don’t see a real argument in there to counter, but I post because of the mentions of Iran and fact that MAGAville hasn’t forgotten about Greenland. Greenland does get more mentions among Trumpers than the Canal. I remain uncertain whether Trump will order the conquest of Greenland, but I’m sure he hasn’t forgotten it. ---
**Author:** ![Flopnoodle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ad7895/32.png) [@Flopnoodle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flopnoodle)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/956 "2026-03-03T01:41:29Z")
“Only an idiot would fight a war on two fronts. Only the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Idiots would fight a war on twelve fronts.” Shall we start counting? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/957 "2026-03-03T02:08:03Z")
> [@Flopnoodle](#): > > “Only an idiot would fight a war on two fronts. . . . Churchill, and FDR, repeatedly opened new fronts. Not only that, but Trump himself may believe in avoiding simultaneously fighting on two fronts. He fights a quick war and declares victory – say, in Venezuela – before going on to the next – Iran. Trump might figure the best season for marching through the towns of Greenland to be late summer. Maybe summer 2026, but 2027 or 2028 are equally likely. Even if 2026, he’ll be done with Iran by then. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/958 "2026-03-03T02:08:56Z")
> [@Flopnoodle](#): > > “Only an idiot would fight a war on two fronts. Only the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Idiots would fight a war on twelve fronts.” “Never get involved in a land war in Asia.” ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/959 "2026-03-03T02:26:48Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > “Never get involved in a land war in Asia.” Sounds like something Trump already told Hegseth and Caine. If there was some way to convince Trump Greenland was part of Asia, the Greenlanders would be home free. Convincing Trump they fight like Asians might also work. Greenlanders – you need conscription!!! Not because of combat power, but to send DJT the we-never-surrender message that could scare him away. ---
**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:** [March 3, 2026, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691/960 "2026-03-03T09:22:45Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > but to send DJT the we-never-surrender message Not that it will get far into the thick skull of the President of the USA that the Inuit, the majority of the very small population, are traditionally extremely good hunters, and survival experts in an insanely tough climate… would be unlikely to give up their land easily. Denmark might also have an opinion, but I don’t think Trump is ready for a very cold, frozen guerrilla war. Later edit: he does appear to have appetite for the opposite extreme, hot, humid and equally mad, just in the Middle East. The last US excursion there, did not end well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691.md?page=47) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-wants-to-use-military-force-to-take-the-panama-canal-and-greenland/1012691.md?page=49)