King Donald wants to own Greenland and the Panama Canal

[Cyrano]

He claims that Greenland (which is a territory of Denmark) is needed for America's security. And he wants ownership of the Panama Canal because their fees for ship passage are too high.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/12/23/trump-says-us-should-take-ownership-of-greenland-and-threatens-to-takeover-panama-canal/

He doesn't get crowned until January 20th, yet he's already beginning to redefine his kingdom. What next? Declare that England, and France are hereby two new American states?

We might as well enjoy "normal" life for the next 28 days. Come January 20th, we can expect a daily announcement of insanity from the Trump Castle. (The place that used to be called the White House).

I will never in my life forgive anyone who cast a vote for this madman. They've sealed their own fates, as well as that of America.

[mucifer]

1. I want a pony!

[2naSalit]

2. ...

[MineralMan]

3. Panama might be happy to sell the canal back to the US.

Climate change and drought have caused big problems for the canal. There's less water available to keep the locks full. That means substantial traffic delays for shipping through the canal. It also increases costs for whoever is operating the canal. So canal transit fees have to go up.

At some point, it will become quite burdensome to keep the canal operating at even a break-even cost/income basis.

So, maybe Trump can have his wish. Soon, though, he'll wish he hadn't wished for it, I expect.

[Cyrano]

4. He will demand that Panama pay all operating costs,

while all fees are to be deposited in The King's petty cash account,

[MineralMan]

8. Nothing will surprise me.

[usonian]

5. Everything he spouts is a smokescreen for his griftocracy.

Watch my lips move, not my bitcoin haul.

[DJ Synikus Makisimus]

6. First we take Manhattan

some mood music to Manifest Destiny by:

[Xolodno]

7. Give it some time...

...and he'll want Cuba as well. We struck a deal with the Russia to never invade or aid anyone else on that endeavor. We start pushing on that, nukes will be back on that island in no time. Possibly in Venezuela and Nicaragua as well.

We'll go from a 15 to 20 minute window of warning to practically only knowing when they hit.

[Retrograde]

9. Trying to claim Cuba goes back at least to the 1850s

One of the goals of the Southern expansionists (they wanted new territories for cotton, and hence slavery) was to annex Cuba as well as other parts of Latin America. They got part of their wish in the Mexican-American war, but, as usual, it wasn't enough. MacPherson discusses this in his Pulitzer Prize-winning "Battle Cry of Freedom"

[valleyrogue]

10. Somebody should tell Donald Greenland is NOT Greedland. n/t

[Matthew28]

11. Seriously

If Trump used his presidential war powers to do this. What would stop him from doing so?

[joemacdawson]

12. Canada Too

He’s implied Canada is really the 51st state and Canadians would be happy to pay fewer taxes.