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

[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

 

[Optimus Prime]

Guess this can go here
==========

A message from Donald Trump celebrating the 19th-century US invasion of its southern neighbour – and the subsequent loss of more than half its territory – has touched a historical nerve in Mexico, with some seeing it as a veiled threat for future incursions.

Reacting to the US president’s statement, which described the invasion as “a legendary victory”, Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, said during her morning news conference on Tuesday: “We must always defend our sovereignty.”

Others were less subtle in their criticism. “Never, in the recent annals of Mexico-US relations had we seen anything like this,” wrote the former Mexican ambassador to the US Arturo Sarukhan, on X. “This is not only spiking the ball in the end zone; it’s an in your face F… You.”


The message, posted by the White House on Monday, said the US-Mexico war “reasserted American sovereignty, and expanded the promise of American independence across our majestic continent”.

But the conflict has long been a historical sore spot for Mexico: Following the capture of Mexico City by US troops in 1847, Mexico gave away 55% of its pre-war territory, including the present-day states of California, Nevada, Utah, much of Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.

Trump not only celebrated the war as a “a triumphant victory for American sovereignty” but suggested that much of his policy in Latin America was being “guided by our victory on the fields of Mexico 178 years ago”, including efforts to defend “our southern border against invasion”.…….

Outrage in Mexico at Trump praise for ‘legendary’ 19th-century US invasion

The US president’s celebration of the 1847 conquest draws fury from Mexican leaders over ‘imperialist tone’

www.theguardian.com

 

[Optimus Prime]

Anchor Light Publications (@anchorlightpublications)

Trump shared this as a photo. Someone turned it into a video. Much improved!

substack.com

 

[Optimus Prime]

 

[Dragon]

Always the bully and trying to cash in on others investments!

 

[RobF]

Always the bully and trying to cash in on others investments!

Absolutely, yes, but can we just circle back and look at, "The first thing China will do is terminate ALL Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup", because even having lowered the bar as far as I thought it could go, I still had to go and check that was real (it is). That's just "man shouting nonsense at the side of the freeway" levels of gibberish isn't it.

 

[RobF]

Absolutely, yes, but can we just circle back and look at, "The first thing China will do is terminate ALL Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup", because even having lowered the bar as far as I thought it could go, I still had to go and check that was real (it is). That's just "man shouting nonsense at the side of the freeway" levels of gibberish isn't it.

Like, I know we say this a lot, but I feel like if Joe Biden had suddenly gone off into a tangent about China wanting to destroy ice hockey, someone would have been gently leading him to have a nice sit down in a comfy chair with a mug of hot cocoa, and just not worry about all this China stuff anymore, before you could say, "25th amendment."

 

[efil4]

Like, I know we say this a lot, but I feel like if Joe Biden had suddenly gone off into a tangent about China wanting to destroy ice hockey, someone would have been gently leading him to have a nice sit down in a comfy chair with a mug of hot cocoa, and just not worry about all this China stuff anymore, before you could say "25th amendment."

The GOP in Congress are simply scared. Scared of the wrath of Trump and of the amplification across Social Media platforms.
Those that are willing, they have announced retirement/not seeking re-election. But its just a few. The others are not ready to give up their position to take a stand and do what is right. They are enabling this behavior. Encouraging it thru non-action. Willing participants in destroying our democratic norms since 2016.

Mob mentality when even your inner soul is telling you to go the other way, you still go along with the mob and figure its easier to just claim " i HAD to go along with for i feared for my life " excuse.

Its always easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission.

 

[Bayouboy]

The GOP in Congress are simply scared. Scared of the wrath of Trump and of the amplification across Social Media platforms.
Those that are willing, they have announced retirement/not seeking re-election. But its just a few. The others are not ready to give up their position to take a stand and do what is right. They are enabling this behavior. Encouraging it thru non-action. Willing participants in destroying our democratic norms since 2016.

Mob mentality when even your inner soul is telling you to go the other way, you still go along with the mob and figure its easier to just claim " i HAD to go along with for i feared for my life " excuse.

Its always easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission.

I've thought about this a lot over the last year (really since he took power in 2016, but moreso in 2025 under the unhealthy barrage of stupid policies, actions, etc. we've all witnessed).......why hasn't some Republican lawmakers reached the point where you say, "to hell with my future, I'll be a martyr and sacrifice myself for the betterment of the country"? It would seem like we have crossed the line where not just one or two folks step up and buck the King......but multiple people would feel inclined to do so. Congress literally has the power to stop this nonsense, but refuse to do so (for whatever reason).

That truly perplexes me.

 

[efil4]

I've thought about this a lot over the last year (really since he took power in 2016, but moreso in 2025 under the unhealthy barrage of stupid policies, actions, etc. we've all witnessed).......why hasn't some Republican lawmakers reached the point where you say, "to hell with my future, I'll be a martyr and sacrifice myself for the betterment of the country"? It would seem like we have crossed the line where not just one or two folks step up and buck the King......but multiple people would feel inclined to do so. Congress literally has the power to stop this nonsense, but refuse to do so (for whatever reason).

That truly perplexes me.

mob mentality.

until the "mob" power/size/reach diminishes to a point where it can be unwound and dissolved OR you get enough defectors to challenge the "organizers". Until then, these folks simply go with the flow.

 

[Dragon]

mob mentality.

until the "mob" power/size/reach diminishes to a point where it can be unwound and dissolved OR you get enough defectors to challenge the "organizers". Until then, these folks simply go with the flow.

This isn’t just about political careers or fear of losing a seat. There is a credible, rational fear of real-world harm — and of impunity for those who carry it out. We’ve seen a repeated pattern since 2016: when Trump targets someone, threats against that person and their family surge. Sometimes it stops at harassment. Sometimes it doesn’t — as in the attack on Paul Pelosi. That alone disproves the idea that this is all abstract “mob psychology.”

And it’s not just private actors. Federal enforcement has already killed people during operations that were never meaningfully investigated, even when states wanted accountability. When leadership at agencies like ICE or the FBI simply refuses to investigate their own, that sends a very clear message: some violence will not be punished. Members of Congress know this. They receive classified threat briefings, not Twitter vibes. When intimidation works, when enforcement looks selective, and when accountability evaporates, people don’t need to believe in a formal conspiracy to understand the risk.

That doesn’t excuse their silence — it absolutely enables the destruction of democratic norms. But it explains why “just be a martyr” is not a realistic expectation when the downside isn’t just your career, but your family’s safety. This is how mob power actually functions: not because everyone agrees, but because dissent is made dangerous and consequences are unevenly enforced. Until that changes, most people will choose survival over heroism.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Canadians are increasingly looking across the Atlantic for their dose of Disney magic, as a notable decline in foreign visitors to the United States persists despite robust global travel trends.

Travel agencies specialising in Disney holidays and other trips are observing a commitment among Canadians to boycott travel to the US.

According to travel agents, President Donald Trump's ongoing trade disputes, his controversial suggestion to acquire Greenland, and intensified immigration enforcement efforts have collectively rendered the US a less appealing destination.…….

Why millions of Canadians are swapping US Disney parks for Paris

Many travellers ‘prefer to avoid supporting US-based parks at this time’

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Optimus Prime]

One of Donald Trump’s latest moves has left America’s neighbor to the north accusing U.S. officials of meddling in Canadian politics as relations between Ottawa and Washington hit a new low.

With Donald Trump’s trade dispute and bullying of fellow NATO countries over control of Greenland rocking the global political landscape, relations between the U.S. and Canada have taken on a sharply oppositional tone.

In January, the Trump White House’s ambassador to Canada warned that the U.S. would be forced to alter the terms of the NORAD agreement and even fly its own F-35s into Canadian airspace should Canada backtrack on buying the planes from the U.S.

And another development now threatens to shake up the tense understanding Trump now seems to share with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Members of Trump’s team were revealed to be in talks with far-right separatists in Alberta centered around the group’s effort to push the province to secede from Canada, which Trump has long said he would like to make the “51st state.”

The revelation shocked Canadian politicians and quickly resulted in accusations of “treason” being lobbed at the group by top-ranking Canadian politicians, like British Columbia Premier David Eby.

Carney and others swiftly denounced the news. He demanded that Trump and the U.S. stay out of the Alberta independence movement, and declared at a news conference last week: “I expect the U.S. administration to respect Canadian sovereignty.”

Eby added in an interview with the CBC on Monday: “If you are crossing a border to seek the support of a foreign government to break up our country because you don’t have the support and the resources and the ability within our own country to advance that conversation, and you’re asking the Americans or any other government, I mean that is the definition of treason.”

Officials at the U.S. State Department were revealed to have conducted meetings with representatives of the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP), a group of right-wing activists seeking the province’s separation from Canada, over the course of 2025

. A report from the Financial Times claimed that the group was planning, after a yet-to-be-held independence referendum, to seek a $500 billion line of credit from the U.S. Treasury to bankroll the formation of a new independent government.

State Department officials and the White House both confirmed the meetings took place, though the U.S. side was careful to say that no commitments were made.……….

Far-right Canadian separatists meeting with Trump on secession behind Carney’s back

Conversations with Alberta secessionist group could be meant to undermine the Canadian leader

www.independent.co.uk

 

[bird]

One of Donald Trump’s latest moves has left America’s neighbor to the north accusing U.S. officials of meddling in Canadian politics as relations between Ottawa and Washington hit a new low.

With Donald Trump’s trade dispute and bullying of fellow NATO countries over control of Greenland rocking the global political landscape, relations between the U.S. and Canada have taken on a sharply oppositional tone.

In January, the Trump White House’s ambassador to Canada warned that the U.S. would be forced to alter the terms of the NORAD agreement and even fly its own F-35s into Canadian airspace should Canada backtrack on buying the planes from the U.S.

And another development now threatens to shake up the tense understanding Trump now seems to share with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Members of Trump’s team were revealed to be in talks with far-right separatists in Alberta centered around the group’s effort to push the province to secede from Canada, which Trump has long said he would like to make the “51st state.”

The revelation shocked Canadian politicians and quickly resulted in accusations of “treason” being lobbed at the group by top-ranking Canadian politicians, like British Columbia Premier David Eby.

Carney and others swiftly denounced the news. He demanded that Trump and the U.S. stay out of the Alberta independence movement, and declared at a news conference last week: “I expect the U.S. administration to respect Canadian sovereignty.”

Eby added in an interview with the CBC on Monday: “If you are crossing a border to seek the support of a foreign government to break up our country because you don’t have the support and the resources and the ability within our own country to advance that conversation, and you’re asking the Americans or any other government, I mean that is the definition of treason.”

Officials at the U.S. State Department were revealed to have conducted meetings with representatives of the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP), a group of right-wing activists seeking the province’s separation from Canada, over the course of 2025

. A report from the Financial Times claimed that the group was planning, after a yet-to-be-held independence referendum, to seek a $500 billion line of credit from the U.S. Treasury to bankroll the formation of a new independent government.

State Department officials and the White House both confirmed the meetings took place, though the U.S. side was careful to say that no commitments were made.……….

Far-right Canadian separatists meeting with Trump on secession behind Carney’s back

Conversations with Alberta secessionist group could be meant to undermine the Canadian leader

www.independent.co.uk

My buddy in Calgary says that the separatists in Alberta are doomed to failure much like the separatists in Quebec. Among the problems Alberta would have are the lack of export/import ports, the lack of a currency, the inability to assume the roles, duties and responsibilities of the Canadian government themselves. They would become extremely resource dependent much like Russia.

Canada does not refine much of the heavy crude they produce. The bulk is transported to the US for refining.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Canada announced a multi-billion-dollar plan to build new military bases in the Arctic followingthreats from President Donald Trump to make it America’s 51st state, and his desire to take control of Greenland.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government plans to spend C$32 billion (about $24 billion U.S.) on opening the bases in Yellowknife, Inuvik, Iqaluit and Goose Bay, located in the north of the country.

“In this new era, we cannot rely on other nations for our security and prosperity,” Carney said Thursday, speaking from an airplane hangar in Yellowknife, flanked by his officials and Canadian troops.

“With this plan, we are taking control of our future. We will no longer rely on others to defend our Arctic security or to fuel our economy,” Carney said. “We are taking full responsibility for defending our sovereignty.”

Increasing international tensions, global warming and the changing world economyhave put the Arctic at the heart of the debate over global trade and security.……..

Canada to build new Arctic bases following Trump’s Greenland and 51st state threats

The display of military force follows threats from Trump to annex Canada and take over the Danish territory of Greenland for national security purposes

www.independent.co.uk

 

[LA 2 L.A.]

Canada announced a multi-billion-dollar plan to build new military bases in the Arctic followingthreats from President Donald Trump to make it America’s 51st state, and his desire to take control of Greenland.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government plans to spend C$32 billion (about $24 billion U.S.) on opening the bases in Yellowknife, Inuvik, Iqaluit and Goose Bay, located in the north of the country.

“In this new era, we cannot rely on other nations for our security and prosperity,” Carney said Thursday, speaking from an airplane hangar in Yellowknife, flanked by his officials and Canadian troops.

“With this plan, we are taking control of our future. We will no longer rely on others to defend our Arctic security or to fuel our economy,” Carney said. “We are taking full responsibility for defending our sovereignty.”

Increasing international tensions, global warming and the changing world economyhave put the Arctic at the heart of the debate over global trade and security.……..

Canada to build new Arctic bases following Trump’s Greenland and 51st state threats

The display of military force follows threats from Trump to annex Canada and take over the Danish territory of Greenland for national security purposes

www.independent.co.uk

I think Canada would be smart to partner with Ukraine to get up to snuff on drone warfare. That's going to be the core of conventional military strength in the next few years.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Trump makes a wild claim about Venezuela becoming 51st state - after a baseball game

President Trump has threatened to annex several other countries and regions in recent months, including Canada and Greenland

www.the-independent.com

Trump doubles down on ‘Statehood!’ claim after Venezuela’s win at WBC

Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s acting president, said that the victory symbolised the “passion, talent, and unity that define us as Venezuelans”

www.the-independent.com