Donald Trump has territorial claims on other countries and doesn't care about international law

By Armin Sijamić

The newly elected US President Donald Trump continues to shock as he awaits his formal inauguration. Yesterday, he said he wants control over Panama, part of Denmark (Greenland), and Canada. He did not rule out the use of military force to achieve some of his goals.

Before the Russian aggression against Ukraine, Vladimir Putin prepared the domestic and international public for the idea that Russia has territorial claims on some neighboring states, then explained it at length, rewriting history as it suited him, and that Moscow has a historical and every other right to do so, and that his job is to correct historical injustices and restore security to his country.

Reactions to Putin's words were sharp and came from all sides, and then when the invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, most of the world condemned it at various international forums. The war continues today, and the Kremlin does not abandon its argument that it has the right to carve up its neighbors.

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Trump's Confidence

Yesterday, Trump largely continued where Putin left off before sending troops to Ukraine. Trump believes that the United States belongs Greenland, which under international law is part of Denmark – a NATO ally of the US, that the Panama Canal should be returned to the hands of the US military, and that Canada should consider becoming a new US federal state.

Unlike Putin, who spoke for hours about history and Russia's alleged right to change internationally recognized borders, Trump is much more practical and does not try to find deeper justifications. Addressing reporters from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida and answering questions about how he would deal with Greenland and the Panama Canal, Trump once again shocked the public.


Greenland

"Can you give the world a guarantee that you will not use economic or military force in attempts to take control of these areas?" a journalist asked him. "No," Trump replied briefly and continued the conversation with the journalist.

"Can you tell us more about your plan? Will you negotiate a new agreement? Will you ask the Canadians to hold a vote? What is the strategy?" the journalist asked. "I cannot guarantee you. You are talking about Panama and Greenland. I cannot guarantee you for them. But I can say that we need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for the military," he replied.

"I will not commit to that," he said when asked if he ruled out the use of military force. "We may have to do something. The Panama Canal is vital for our country. It is managed by China. We gave the Panama Canal to Panama, we did not give it to China," Trump said.

Trump's Logic

Where did Trump get the idea that he should deal with Greenland (Denmark), Panama, and neighboring Canada, and what is their "sin" against the new US administration? The shortest answer is that the three countries are doing something that Trump dislikes.

In the case of Greenland, it is access to natural gas and oil deposits and other raw materials. In addition, Greenland is in a strategically important location in the fight for the Arctic and for the shipping routes opening up due to melting ice. In a military sense, whoever controls Greenland has an advantage in a confrontation between nuclear powers. Namely, if the United States and Russia were at war, most missiles would be fired over Greenland, as it is the shortest route between the two countries.

When it comes to Panama, Trump is bothered by the fact that the Panama Canal, which is vital for world and US trade, is not in Washington's hands. Namely, Panama was created in 1903 when Washington seceded part of the territory from Colombia, so that from 1904 to 1914, a canal was built that connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, i.e., connected the two American coasts. In 1999, Washington returned control of the Panama Canal to Panama. In recent years, Chinese influence has been growing in Panama and other Central American countries, which clearly worries Trump.


Panama and the Panama Canal

Neighboring Canada has "offended" Trump by having a huge trade surplus as the largest trading partner of the United States. In the last two years, Canada has had a surplus of around 120 billion dollars. In addition, returning to the issue of Greenland's importance in military matters, Canada has additional importance. Trump proposed to friendly Canada to join the United States, and recently called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau the "governor of the great country of Canada."

The World of Realpolitik

In a short time, Trump has, on several occasions, violated everything that current President Joseph Biden nominally stands for. Sovereignty and international law, which Biden advocated for in the case of, for example, Ukraine, do not apply in the case of Panama and Denmark according to Trump's logic.

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Donald Trump's Victory is a Call to Arms for the West and a Change in Policy

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Denmark has rejected any talks on the topic of Greenland belonging to the United States, as has the Greenlandic government. They also rejected Trump's offer to buy Greenland. The Panamanian government has rejected any possibility of handing over the Panama Canal to anyone.

However, Trump does not consider the interests of others, confident in the strength of his country. At the aforementioned address from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, he even said that he wants to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which is essentially setting things up as if nothing existed before him.

It should be recalled that in 2019, Trump canceled his visit to Denmark because the hosts did not want to discuss the sale of Greenland, and that the United States offered Denmark the same thing back in 1946. Due to the Cold War, the US military stationed itself in Greenland, but it remained part of Denmark.

In other words, even before Trump, there were American plans to occupy Greenland, as it is a strategically important island for the American defense concept. In the last elections, certain circles close to the military and arms manufacturers supported Trump, which helped him win the vote.

This confirms the thesis that Trump is not some "free agent" fighting against the system, but that he is part of it. Such a conclusion is more than important for all those who said that "Trump is a man of peace" and that "he did not start any war," even though, among other things, he attacked Syria, liquidated Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Iraq, and exposed US bases in Iraq to Iranian missile attacks.

Less than two weeks before taking office, Trump's statement yesterday announced that he will not abide by international law and does not recognize the interests of other states. In his first term, many relied on the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as Vice President Mike Pence, as mechanisms to control the president. In his new term, there are fewer control mechanisms, as the number of Trump's supporters in important positions will be higher than before.