Trump's bold claims on Panama and Greenland stir global debate

Donald Trump aims to redraw the map of the Western Hemisphere, CNN reports. During an appearance at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, January 7th, Trump announced the "dawn of America's golden age" and repeated controversial claims. The plan includes:

• Acquiring Greenland from Denmark: "We need Greenland for national security purposes. People really don’t even know if Denmark has any legal right to [Greenland], but if they do they should give it up because we need it for national security. I'm talking about protecting the free world," Trump asserted.

• Regaining the Panama Canal from Panama: "The Panama Canal is vital to our country. It's being operated by China. China! And we gave the Panama Canal to Panama. We didn't give it to China, and they've abused it. They've abused that gift. It should have never been made," he reminded.

• Turning Canada into the 51st state and nominating hockey star Wayne Gretzky as a candidate for governor: "But we’re spending hundreds of billions a year to protect it. We’re spending hundreds of billions a year to take care of Canada. They don’t, essentially, have a military. They have a very small military. They rely on our military. It's all fine, but, you know, they got to pay for that. It's very unfair," Trump argued.

• Renaming the Gulf of Mexico: "We're going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring. It's appropriate. And Mexico has to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country," he announced.

In 2019, Panama's new ambassador, Juan De Dianous, met with Donald Trump, who expressed his negative views on Panama. As reported by CNN, Trump has long criticized Jimmy Carter's decision to hand over the Panama Canal to Panama. His recent remarks have sparked speculation about possible U.S. actions.

The President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, quickly responded to Trump's words, defending the country's sovereignty. Mulino emphasized that any discussions should take place through appropriate diplomatic channels. However, Panamanian officials are concerned about the lack of direct communication with the Trump administration.

Trump is accused of trying to counter China's growing influence in Latin America with his comments. The Panamanian government, worried about the situation, emphasizes that the Panama Canal is fully managed by Panamanians. Panamanian authorities assure that the tolls for passing through the canal comply with international standards, CNN reports.

Donald Trump, before taking office as President of the United States, had already sparked controversy with his statements characterized by bluntness and 'Trump style.' Experts suggest these speeches are intended to lay the groundwork for future negotiations.

Panama's President, Jose Raul Mulino, firmly stated that his country's sovereignty is not up for discussion, referring to Trump's suggestions about the Panama Canal. Experts believe that Trump's remarks stem from American businesses' desires to obtain better transit conditions for goods.

At the same time, the Trump administration has directed attention to Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region and the threat from China, which is crucial both from the perspective of U.S. security and trade interests. China is expanding its influence, among other things, through the Belt and Road Initiative, which raises American concerns.