President-elect Donald Trump did not rule out using the military to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland during a speech to the press on Tuesday, reports UNN citing CNN.
When asked directly if he would rule out the use of “military or economic coercion” to achieve his goal of obtaining these territories, the president-elect answered “no.
“No, I can't guarantee either of those two options, but I can say one thing: we need them for economic security,” he said.
His apparent openness to using the military to accomplish these goals comes despite his promises to avoid wars after being sworn in.
“I'm not going to start a war,” Trump said during his victory speech after winning the 2024 election. “I'm going to stop wars.
Since his election, Trump has repeatedly expressed his interest in acquiring both the Panama Canal and Greenland. His remarks on Tuesday were the first time he suggested using military means to do so.
Later asked if he would use military force against Canada, which he also suggested the U.S. would acquire, Trump said, “No, economic force.