Trump floats claims for Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal (Update: Trump wants Gaza too) (2 Viewers)

[superchuck500]

Oh, but he's only joking - well, maybe, so they say. Or sort of joking with Canada, and maybe not joking with Greenland - saying that "ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity" doesn't sound like a joke . . . and um, not sure about what the about Panama Canal thing is?

Trump Jokes Canada Becoming 51st US State 'A Great Idea'

US President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday it would be "a great idea" for Canada to become the 51st US state, teasing on social media that "many Canadians" welcome the idea, as Ottawa is wracked by a political crisis.

www.barrons.com

Trump threatens to try to take back the Panama Canal. Panama's president balks at the suggestion

Trump didn't explain how such a takeover would be possible, given that the U.S. relinquished control of the canal to Panama in 1999 under a treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977.

apnews.com

 

[bird]

Little Marco has flushed what little self-respect he had left.

 

[Dragon]

Little Marco has flushed what little self-respect he had left.

The current US "leadership" is the biggest threat to the alliance at this point in time. Not that I am a big fan of Rasmussen, he has had his own scandals along the way and is very fond of expensive red wines, preferable paid by the taxpayers, but he has always been a good man for Denmark internationally and he is fiercely protective of the country.

 

[superchuck500]

US base commander in Greenland probably thinks that Trump’s statements and ambitions are terrible - so, she’s fired. Also she’s a woman and that probably didn’t help.

 

[DaveXA]

Can we fire Trump? Cuz I want to fire Trump.

 

[Optimus Prime]

President Trump’s longtime goal of claiming Greenland for America has shifted from rhetoric to official U.S. policy as the White House moves forward on a formal plan to acquire the Arctic island from Denmark.

The plan mobilizes several cabinet departments behind Mr. Trump’s years of talk about wanting Greenland, whose economic and strategic value has grown as warming temperatures melt Arctic ice.

Greenland’s size — 836,330 square miles — also offers Mr. Trump, a former Manhattan developer, the chance to clinch what he may see as one of history’s greatest real estate deals.

Danish officials angrily insist that the sparsely populated island is not for sale and cannot be annexed. But Mr. Trump has made clear his determination to control it.

“We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we’re working with everybody involved to try and get it,” he said in an address to Congress last month.

“One way or the other, we’re going to get it,” Mr. Trump added...........

The plan’s full details are unclear. But despite Mr. Trump’s allusions to the possible use of force, the deliberations led by the security council never seriously considered military options, the official said.

The policy instead emphasizes persuasion over coercion, and features a public relations effort aimed at convincing Greenland’s population of 57,000 that they should ask to join the United States.

Mr. Trump’s advisers have discussed using advertising and social media campaigns to sway public opinion on the island, according to another person briefed on the matter.

It may be an uphill battle. In an election last month, an opposition political party that favors quick independence and closer ties with the United States finished in second place but with just a quarter of the vote.

The U.S. messaging campaign will include an unlikely appeal to Greenlanders’ shared heritage with the native Inuit people of Alaska, nearly 2,500 miles away, the official said.

Greenland’s Inuit population is descended from people who migrated from Alaska hundreds of years ago, and the island’s official language is derived from Inuit dialects that originated in Arctic Canada.

Mr. Trump’s advisers have already begun making their public case, arguing that Denmark has been a poor custodian of the island, that only the United States can protect it from encroachment by Russia and China, and that America will help Greenlanders “get rich,” as Mr. Trump has put it.........

Inside Trump’s Plan to ‘Get’ Greenland: Persuasion, Not Invasion

The island’s population might not be easily convinced as the president tries to clinch what he may see as one of history’s greatest real estate deals.

www.nytimes.com

 

[fooferdoggie]

Can we fire Trump? Cuz I want to fire Trump.

fire him out of a cannon towards the sun? I am all in.

 

[efil4]

Can we fire Trump? Cuz I want to fire Trump.

 

[UncleTrvlingJim]

Inside Trump’s Plan to ‘Get’ Greenland: Persuasion, Not Invasion

The island’s population might not be easily convinced as the president tries to clinch what he may see as one of history’s greatest real estate deals.

www.nytimes.com

I mean it's not likely to work, but I prefer that to threatening to annex them through military or economic pressure.

 

[Dragon]

I mean it's not likely to work, but I prefer that to threatening to annex them through military or economic pressure.

Trump is being remarkably naive—especially in assuming that referencing the Inuit population in Alaska would be seen as a positive example. In fact, that comparison only fuels Greenlandic resistance to any notion of U.S. annexation.

A Greenlandic delegation recently spent nearly a month in Alaska, and the realities they encountered there have only strengthened their resolve against becoming a U.S. territory. Greenlanders have no desire to trade their current political autonomy for a future under a colonizing authority with no real say over their own destiny.

Right now, Greenland enjoys significant political influence within the Kingdom of Denmark. Greenlandic members of the Danish parliament have, on multiple occasions, held the balance of power in government formation—leverage they would completely lose as a U.S. territory. Beyond political power, Greenland also benefits from free education, universal healthcare, and substantial economic support from Denmark—amounting to nearly $11,000 per person annually. None of these advantages would be guaranteed under U.S. governance.

In short, the Greenlandic people are not interested in becoming another star on the U.S. flag—they're interested in shaping their own future, not surrendering it.

 

[fooferdoggie]

 

[Ayo]

We're a couple of weeks out from a federal election and the anti-Trump sentiment is still peaking and featured prominently in political ads from both.

This ad is one example, featuring Mike Meyers wearing a Never 51 hockey sweater.

 

[Optimus Prime]

California governor Gavin Newsom has launched a new international campaign with Visit California to encourage a "strong tourism partnership" between the state and Canada.

Mr Newsom's team said the campaign was launched in response to "recent declines in tourism created by Donald Trump’s policies."

The US president has repeatedly threatened to make Canada the "51st state."

A statement on Mr Newsom's website added that the campaign will remind Canadians "that California is a grateful partner and remains one of the best — and most welcoming — destinations in the United States, and the world."……:

Newsom urges Canadians not to let Trump ruin their beach plans in new campaign

California governor Gavin Newsom has launched a new international campaign with Visit California to encourage a "strong tourism partnership" between the state and Canada. Mr Newsom's team said the campaign was launched in response to "recent declines in tourism created by Donald Trump’s...

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Ayo]

The tourism numbers keep dropping. Entire communities that border Canada and rely on border tourism are being gutted. That was part of the reason behind Susan Collins's recent vote - her constituents aren't happy. It won't mean anything, because she's utterly unreliable and doesn't care but the impact on places is real. Cancellations doubling, tripling from the same time the year prior. It's been ongoing for weeks and I don't see it stopping. Perhaps when summer actually arrives properly, we'll see. But the winter breaks and trips down south declined significantly.

Nobody's going to California because of the ad, and I think Newsom knows that. It's a way to hit back at Trump without targeting him directly. People are just not going. Canadian-grown strawberries, at $6.99/lb were cleaned out, with US strawberries at $4.99/lb overflowing in the produce bins. People are still very, VERY pissed off and it shows no signs of slowing.

 

[Dragon]

The tourism numbers keep dropping. Entire communities that border Canada and rely on border tourism are being gutted. That was part of the reason behind Susan Collins's recent vote - her constituents aren't happy. It won't mean anything, because she's utterly unreliable and doesn't care but the impact on places is real. Cancellations doubling, tripling from the same time the year prior. It's been ongoing for weeks and I don't see it stopping. Perhaps when summer actually arrives properly, we'll see. But the winter breaks and trips down south declined significantly.

Nobody's going to California because of the ad, and I think Newsom knows that. It's a way to hit back at Trump without targeting him directly. People are just not going. Canadian-grown strawberries, at $6.99/lb were cleaned out, with US strawberries at $4.99/lb overflowing in the produce bins. People are still very, VERY pissed off and it shows no signs of slowing.

Who in their right mind would visit the U.S. right now? We certainly wouldn’t — and that’s saying something, because we had actually been planning to celebrate our 40th anniversary in New Orleans… until Trump was elected.

The risk is simply too high. Whether it’s being denied entry or something worse, depending on how much they're monitoring social media activity, it's not worth it. I was very active on X before the election, debunking disinformation and calling out lies. Although I deleted my account the day after, I have zero faith in Musk or his promises to delete data after 30 days. EU law requires it, but let’s be honest — companies like X and Facebook have already been fined heavily for ignoring those laws.

So, we’ve made up our minds. We’ll go somewhere else — most likely Australia, which we’ve always wanted to visit and where we can actually relax without worrying about politics at the border.

 

[Ayo]

Who in their right mind would visit the U.S. right now? We certainly wouldn’t — and that’s saying something, because we had actually been planning to celebrate our 40th anniversary in New Orleans… until Trump was elected.

The risk is simply too high. Whether it’s being denied entry or something worse, depending on how much they're monitoring social media activity, it's not worth it. I was very active on X before the election, debunking disinformation and calling out lies. Although I deleted my account the day after, I have zero faith in Musk or his promises to delete data after 30 days. EU law requires it, but let’s be honest — companies like X and Facebook have already been fined heavily for ignoring those laws.

So, we’ve made up our minds. We’ll go somewhere else — most likely Australia, which we’ve always wanted to visit and where we can actually relax without worrying about politics at the border.

Yes, I get all that. But my dad died unexpectedly last summer, just before I got there, and the entire visit was taken up by funeral arrangements, getting the house and insurance in order, seeing family - it was taxing in many ways. Not a vacation at all. My entire family is down there - brother, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins. I want my kids to be able to go back home and continue to experience where I come from, what "home" means to me. To see and go to the places I went to as a kid - to see the city through their eyes as children, with a wonderment I haven't experienced in a long time because I wanted to get the hell outta there so badly.

We spend our entire lives, practically, in Canada. My kids cheer for Canadian teams more enthusiastically than American. They sound more Canadian than Cajun. They saw sugarcane for the first time and thought it was some kind of weird corn. It is very important to me that their connection to southern Louisiana is real and deep, as much as I can despite the time and distance limitations.

I'm not sure saying "who in their right mind would...?" is entirely fair here. I don't know your connections to the state and won't presume anything about your decision. Perhaps extend the same before weighing on minds being more or less "right"

 

[Dragon]

Yes, I get all that. But my dad died unexpectedly last summer, just before I got there, and the entire visit was taken up by funeral arrangements, getting the house and insurance in order, seeing family - it was taxing in many ways. Not a vacation at all. My entire family is down there - brother, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins. I want my kids to be able to go back home and continue to experience where I come from, what "home" means to me. To see and go to the places I went to as a kid - to see the city through their eyes as children, with a wonderment I haven't experienced in a long time because I wanted to get the hell outta there so badly.

We spend our entire lives, practically, in Canada. My kids cheer for Canadian teams more enthusiastically than American. They sound more Canadian than Cajun. They saw sugarcane for the first time and thought it was some kind of weird corn. It is very important to me that their connection to southern Louisiana is real and deep, as much as I can despite the time and distance limitations.

I'm not sure saying "who in their right mind would...?" is entirely fair here. I don't know your connections to the state and won't presume anything about your decision. Perhaps extend the same before weighing on minds being more or less "right"

Completely understandable — my husband and I absolutely love New Orleans, no doubt about that. Before COVID, we went back almost every year and even brought our daughter and granddaughter along on some of those trips. We celebrated our 20th, 30th, and 35th anniversaries there, and as I mentioned, we were planning to return for our 40th as well.

Although I lived in the U.S. for three years before getting married — in Tennessee, not Louisiana — New Orleans always felt like "home" to me. Maybe it’s because it shares something with where I live in Denmark. Elsinore, with its old town, narrow streets, harbor, and lively mix of bars and restaurants, has that same kind of charm and soul that makes NOLA feel instantly familiar and welcoming.

But this isn’t about New Orleans — it’s about the U.S. as a whole. And the sad truth is, we just wouldn’t feel safe visiting right now. Not with the current political climate and the growing risks for people who’ve been publicly critical. It’s heartbreaking, really, to feel forced to stay away from a place you love because the country around it feels increasingly unstable.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Yes, I get all that. But my dad died unexpectedly last summer, just before I got there, and the entire visit was taken up by funeral arrangements, getting the house and insurance in order, seeing family - it was taxing in many ways. Not a vacation at all. My entire family is down there - brother, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins. I want my kids to be able to go back home and continue to experience where I come from, what "home" means to me. To see and go to the places I went to as a kid - to see the city through their eyes as children, with a wonderment I haven't experienced in a long time because I wanted to get the hell outta there so badly.

We spend our entire lives, practically, in Canada. My kids cheer for Canadian teams more enthusiastically than American. They sound more Canadian than Cajun. They saw sugarcane for the first time and thought it was some kind of weird corn. It is very important to me that their connection to southern Louisiana is real and deep, as much as I can despite the time and distance limitations.

I'm not sure saying "who in their right mind would...?" is entirely fair here. I don't know your connections to the state and won't presume anything about your decision. Perhaps extend the same before weighing on minds being more or less "right"

Makes sense. Home is always home no matter what else is going on in or around it

Sorry to hear about your dad

 

[Optimus Prime]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Southern Republicans are pushing their states to formally embrace the name Gulf of America — the name President Donald Trump has bestowed on the Gulf of Mexico — and require its use on maps, textbooks and signs.

This week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two bills requiring the use of “Gulf of America” in state law and textbooks. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry in March signed an executive order directing state materials to reflect the name change.

The Louisiana Department of Education announced an update to state social studies standards to reflect the name change.

Republicans are looking to cement the use of the new name designated by Trump, saying it is a point of national pride. Some Democrats have criticized the efforts as a transparent political measure.

The Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday voted 72-26 to advance legislation to require state and local government entities and their employees to use the name Gulf of America.

It would also require state and local entities to make “reasonable efforts” to update maps, textbooks, websites, and other materials. The bill, which passed on a vote split along party lines, now moves to the Alabama Senate…….

Republicans in Gulf states push to embrace Gulf of America name

Southern Republicans are pushing their states to formally embrace the name Gulf of America. President Donald Trump in January signed and executive order saying the Gulf of Mexico will be renamed to the Gulf of America.

apnews.com