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Eugene

(62,816 posts)
Wed Jan 8, 2025, 05:24 PM Wednesday

Why does Trump want Greenland and the Panama Canal so badly? One reason may surprise you

Source: USA Today

Why does Trump want Greenland and the Panama Canal so badly? One reason may surprise you

Josh Meyer
USA Today
Published 7:57 a.m. ET Jan 8, 2025 | Updated 12:16 p.m. ET Jan 8, 2025

WASHINGTON − Why is President-elect Donald Trump so committed to acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal that he’d be willing to use military coercion to get them?

The short answer is that Trump is jockeying for geopolitical supremacy over what he believes are an expansionist-minded China and Russia, two former top Trump national security aides told USA TODAY.

But Trump’s concerns are also heavily influenced by something he often does not acknowledge: climate change and its growing influence on national security.

Trump has had his eyes on the massive but remote Arctic island since his first term. He doubled down on that – and his interest in the coast-to-coast Central American waterway that is the Panama Canal – in recent weeks as he prepares to take office.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/08/trump-military-greenland-panama-canal/77515413007/

7 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Why does Trump want Greenland and the Panama Canal so badly? One reason may surprise you (Original Post) Eugene Wednesday OP
I dont think so hot2na Wednesday #1
Trump couldn't handle the job of being a coffee boy for SoS, but there are reasons to look beyond his foolishness. taxi Wednesday #5
This had absolutely occurred to me previously AZJonnie Wednesday #2
A much simpler explanation. boonecreek Wednesday #3
Please stop trying to find logic Keepthesoulalive Wednesday #4
Exactly hot2na Thursday #6
Don't you... littlemissmartypants Thursday #7

hot2na

(407 posts)
1. I dont think so
Wed Jan 8, 2025, 05:50 PM
Wednesday

If Trump is so concerned about Russia expansionism then why is he always throwing Ukraine under the bus.

Basically we have control of Greenland already in effect due to NATO, which Denmark and
the US are founding members. NATO is the greatest military alliance in history yet Trump has conistently snubbed NATO. If Trump really cared about Russia and China expansionism, he should support NATO. Military intervention against Greenland or economic warfare would likely be the end of NATO. This is Putins dream.

This article is nothing more than continued sanewashing of Trumps ridiculousness by the media.

taxi

(2,037 posts)
5. Trump couldn't handle the job of being a coffee boy for SoS, but there are reasons to look beyond his foolishness.
Wed Jan 8, 2025, 06:24 PM
Wednesday

What Bolton says below is true. Taking over Greenland in some fashion is just plain stupidity. Foreign navies operating in those waters has always been looked at, Trump outs himself as the fool who never knew by opening his mouth, again.

To understand Trump’s interest in Greenland, Bolton said, just look at a map of the world from the vantage point of the North Pole.

Four NATO countries – the U.S., Canada, Denmark and Norway – have territorial claims that cover half of the Arctic Circle, Bolton said. “Russia covers the rest.”

AZJonnie

(122 posts)
2. This had absolutely occurred to me previously
Wed Jan 8, 2025, 05:57 PM
Wednesday

No matter what they've successfully conned the dull MAGA rubes about on the subject, TPTB (including Donnie Dipshit) absolutely believe in anthropogenic climate change, and probably believe it's going to be worse, and happen faster, than the public are generally being told. The calculation that, as the GrIS melts, it will both endanger the US due to rising seas, and also expose potentially resource-rich but previously undeveloped areas for extraction, is a simple one to make. From there it's simple extrapolation to 'thus, the US needs to take it so we have resources to fight the effects of AGC', esp. if you're as simple-minded as Orangina. For now IQ47 is keeping this reasoning close to the vest so as not to disillusion his MAGA morons, but I think he's keeping it in his back pocket, and if circumstances force him to, he'll break out a case involving AGC for why we need to take Greenland.

Keepthesoulalive

(866 posts)
4. Please stop trying to find logic
Wed Jan 8, 2025, 06:22 PM
Wednesday

In illogical behavior. He is a narcissist and a con . He requires constant attention and our subservient media gives it to him without question.

hot2na

(407 posts)
6. Exactly
Thu Jan 9, 2025, 08:42 AM
Thursday

The media always finds a way to sanewash his ridiculous statements and positions. We should not take the bait!

If there are any rational positions coming out of the gobbldeygook that he spews from his pie hole, it is tantamount to a clock being right twice a day.

littlemissmartypants

(26,076 posts)
7. Don't you...
Thu Jan 9, 2025, 08:47 PM
Thursday

Love how all of these so-called experts live on the sofa inside the idiot's head?

Imagine that as your claim to fame.

The idiot whisperers.

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