President-elect Donald Trump suggested on Monday that he has plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” citing extensive US involvement in the region. At the same time, Trump also indicated that he has not ruled out the use of military force to gain control of both the Panama Canal and Greenland, raising international concerns about the potential for territorial disputes once he takes office.
Speaking at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump began by criticizing Mexico’s immigration policies and once again threatening tariffs on both Mexico and Canada to curb drug trafficking and illegal immigration.
“We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” the president-elect said. “It has a beautiful ring. It covers a lot of territory. The Gulf of America. What a beautiful name. And, it’s appropriate.”
President-elect Trump: "We're going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America…what a beautiful name. It's appropriate." pic.twitter.com/ZspLXgkgcZ
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 7, 2025
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The proposal echoes a similar suggestion made in 2012 by a Democrat as satire.
Trump then proceeded to criticize China’s involvement in the Panama Canal, claiming it was unjust that the canal is not operated by the U.S.
He also expressed a desire for Greenland, which is part of Danish territory, stating it is necessary for national security, and questioned Denmark’s legal claim to it.
When asked by a reporter if he could “assure the world” that he would not “use military or economic coercion” to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal, he replied with an emphatic “No.”
“I can’t assure you, you’re talking about Panama and Greenland,” he said. “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two, but I can say this, we need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for our military.”
Additionally, Trump mentioned he would consider using economic force regarding Canada, joking about it becoming the 51st state.
Trump’s remarks have sparked diverse reactions, with some supporters praising his expansionist rhetoric and others questioning its practicality and legality.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has not publicly responded to the proposed name change for the Gulf, nor has she acknowledged the tariff threats.
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