# What would realistically / actually happen if Trump invaded Canada and / or Greenland, Mexico, Panama, etc? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 13, 2025, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898 "2025-01-13T03:27:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/121 "2025-01-28T02:32:35Z")
Oh, another consideration: you’d have all those hardened militaristic Yanks from army bases in the South… and they’d have to march through the tundra of Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. Sure, the permafrost might chill them to their bones, but the real problem is the warmth of Deep Fried Cheese Curds and Bratwurst and Green Bean Hot Dish Cassarole With Chow Mein Noodles On Top. All the grannies up here wouldn’t let a single soldier do any invading without a good, nutritious sit-down supper. “Ope, where d’ya think yer goin’ there, huh, Mr. Too Busy To Clean His Plate? We still have some ho-made apple pie comin’, doncha know?” Nobody’s going to be in a fighting mood after the Grammies of The North-Central Midwest get done with them. ---
**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 28, 2025, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/122 "2025-01-28T03:42:40Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Nobody’s going to be in a fighting mood after the Grammies of The North-Central Midwest get done with them. I’m suddenly in the mood to invade. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/123 "2025-01-28T03:46:24Z")
Problem is the invasion is likely to go through Detroit with the aim of taking Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City in short order. The Grammies are up in Winnipeg and we are unlikely to be going through Minnesota or Wisconsin. 😥 ---
**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 28, 2025, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/124 "2025-01-28T05:41:40Z")
If others get together to face Trump, something good comes of it. Perhaps. [https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-speak-partners-bid-fend-off-us-tariffs-says-minister-2025-01-27/](https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-speak-partners-bid-fend-off-us-tariffs-says-minister-2025-01-27/) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/125 "2025-01-30T04:23:21Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Problem is the invasion is likely to go through Detroit with the aim of taking Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City in short order. Detroit would be a strange place to go through to get to Ottawa when the US border is just an hour from Ottawa to the south. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/126 "2025-01-30T04:42:31Z")
Taking a second look at the map I see you are correct. If the US were to move overland into Canada it appears Buffalo and other parts of upstate New York would make more sense. Which goes to show why I am not a military strategist. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/127 "2025-01-30T16:48:26Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Detroit would be a strange place to go through to get to Ottawa when the US border is just an hour from Ottawa to the south And Fort Drum isn’t much farther south than that. I’ve opined that this is the most likely scenario for an invasion of Canada - a decapitation strike from Fort Drum to Ottawa, and then telling the Rest of Canada what the new world order is. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/128 "2025-01-30T23:25:58Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > And Fort Drum isn’t much farther south than that. I’ve opined that this is the most likely scenario for an invasion of Canada - a decapitation strike from Fort Drum to Ottawa, and then telling the Rest of Canada what the new world order is. That’d be part of it. A number of other bases would be quickly attacked or bombed as well. Taking out Trenton, Kingston, Petawawa and Valcartier eliminates what limited resistance Canada could offer to defend this part of the country. The fighter bases and Halifax would have to be destroyed as well; the US would also probably want to sink any of the missile frigates at sea, as those are dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2025, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/129 "2025-01-31T00:33:44Z")
Can we not give The Cheeto-In-Chief any strategic ideas? . > [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > If the US were to move overland into Canada it appears Buffalo and other parts of upstate New York would make more sense. But there’s only a two-week window of time when Buffalo doesn’t have four feet of snow. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2025, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/130 "2025-01-31T06:22:30Z")
> [@digs](#): > > there’s only a two-week window of time when Buffalo doesn’t have four feet of snow. Which explains the strategy of burning more coal, accelerating global warming, so as to widen that window of opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2025, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/131 "2025-01-31T12:00:30Z")
But if the upper parts of Canada were more populated, it would be important to not do _too_ much global warming or the upper parts would become perma-rasputitsa instead of permafrost until they completely unmelt in decades. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/132 "2025-02-01T02:13:57Z")
I kind of like it. Have them match along the 401, but divert them to the 403 through Hamilton. One look around and they’ll nope right out of here! Does the king actually have any powers in Canada? I mean, our head of state is in the UK so a “decapitation strike” technically involves London, England, not London, Ontario but I really like the idea that Trump and his army would get that wrong… ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/133 "2025-02-01T02:14:44Z")
Who cares? Nobody will live there, other than a few dozen scapers, busy turning it all into a tar-sand-pit. That big wet spot will have to be renamed to the “Great Slag Lake”. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/134 "2025-02-01T04:08:45Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > Does the king actually have any powers in Canada? No, he doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![bobsmom101](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobsmom101/32/2867_2.png) [@bobsmom101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobsmom101)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/135 "2025-02-01T19:01:54Z")
Here you go: it looks better than the inevitable Sharpie anyhow: [[Album] Trumpland 2 ![](https://i.imgur.com/yYcwexN.png?fb "Trumpland 2") ](https://imgur.com/a/POn79UF) ETA: I’m not sure how the aspect ratio got so screwed up. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/136 "2025-02-01T23:22:00Z")
He drinks a lot of diet coke. Greenland has a lot of ice. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/137 "2025-08-28T22:25:04Z")
So trump had spies in Greenland working an influence campaign. They are a NATO ally. Please somebody, make it stop. > **[Denmark summons U.S. envoy over claims of interference in Greenland](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/denmark-summons-u-s-envoy-over-claims-of-interference-in-greenland)** > > Danish broadcaster DR reported Wednesday that at least three Americans have been involved in these operations. They allegedly compiled lists of U.S.-friendly Greenlanders and tried to influence local politics. ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/138 "2025-08-29T18:24:22Z")
Not only this, but they have the gall to act all surprised at Denmark’s reaction. > **[Greenland: US tells Denmark to 'calm down' over alleged influence operation](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0j9l08902eo)** > > The aim was reportedly to infiltrate Greenland's society and promote its secession from Denmark. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2025, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898/139 "2025-08-30T01:29:40Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > So trump had spies in Greenland working an influence campaign. > > They are a NATO ally. Please somebody, make it stop. Thanks to him, we no longer have any allies. Haven’t top politicians in at least two of our former allies already said that very thing? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-realistically-actually-happen-if-trump-invaded-canada-and-or-greenland-mexico-panama-etc/1012898.md?page=6)