Why does Trump want Greenland and the Panama Canal?
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Since winning re-election, president-elect Donald Trump has expressed an interest in acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal. Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Mr Trump said he could not assure reporters that military or economic coercion would not be used to try and gain control of both areas.
"I can say this, we need them for economic security," he said. The two locations, which are nowhere near each other geographically, pose different interests to the incoming president. But his desire to seize them both has caused immense backlash. Why does Trump want Greenland?.
Greenland is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, a founding member of NATO and is home to a large US military base. It has a population of 57,000 and has been part of Denmark for 600 years. Straddling the Arctic circle between the US, Russia and Europe, the island offers a unique geopolitical advantage, that America has eyed for more than 150 years.
It's even more valuable as the Arctic opens up more to shipping and trade. The idea of purchasing Greenland is not a new idea for Mr Trump, as it came up during his first term in office. But he has since reiterated the benefit it could have for America's national security.
"We need greater national security purposes," Mr Trump said. "I've been told that for a long time, long before I even ran. "People really don't even know that Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security.".
