President-elect Donald Trump took aim at Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal in a series of Christmas Day social media posts that suggested the U.S. could take control of all three.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump kicked off the lengthy posts by wishing a merry Christmas to all, “including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal.”
He referenced the American lives lost during the canal’s construction more than 100 years ago before adding that the U.S. “puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about ‘anything.’”
Trump then mocked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom Trump referred to as “governor,” and suggested once again that the U.S. could annex Canada as its 51st state.
He wrote that “if Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World.”
Trump then continued his post by addressing “the people of Greenland, which is needed by the United States for National Security purposes and, who want the U.S. to be there, and we will!”
Trump, in another post, also said he had encouraged former professional hockey star Wayne Gretzky to run to be the prime minister of Canada, but that Gretzky ”had no interest.”
In his Wednesday posts, Trump also mocked President Joe Biden as “a man who has absolutely no idea what he is doing” and sent seasons greetings to the “radical left lunatics.”
The posts build upon a slate of messages Trump has delivered in recent weeks.
Trump has recently suggested that his administration could obtain control of the Panama Canal, criticizing the fees that Panama has charged for its use.
The U.S. helped build the crucial shipping channel in the early 1900’s and controlled it until 1977 when it entered into an agreement to eventually hand control over to Panama. The two countries shared operation of the canal until 1999, when Panama took full control of it, per the agreement with the U.S.
Trump, in a formal announcement from his presidential transition team on Wednesday, said he would nominate Kevin Marino Cabrera as the U.S. Ambassador to Panama, which he accused of “ripping us off on the Panama Canal, far beyond their wildest dream.”
Cabrera serves on the Miami-Dade County Commission and on the Miami-Dade International Trade Consortium.
Trump during his first term had raised the idea of purchasing Greenland — which is part of Denmark. But he showed fresh interest in the topic earlier this week in his statement announcing his selection of Ken Howery to serve as ambassador to Denmark.
Greenland’s prime minister, Mute Egede, rejected Trump’s comments about his country from earlier this week.
When it comes to Canada, Trump has also in recent weeks mocked Trudeau as the “governor” of Canada, while also warning of issuing tariffs on the country. He also previously joked that Canada should become the 51st state. Fox News reported earlier this month that Trump also raised the possibility directly to Trudeau during a dinner at Mar-a-Lago.
