President-elect Donald Trump has caused an uproar with his claims of the United States' territorial ownership over Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal. This is the first time in more than 75 years that the United States is showing interest in acquiring new territories. He has also proposed changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which also speaks to his plan of regaining control over the region.

Why does Trump want Greenland, Canada, and the Panama Canal?

He has tried to defend the assertions with concerns for national security. When it comes to Greenland, he cites the increasing presence of Chinese and Russian activity in the area as a reason for the U.S. to take control. His son, Donald Trump Jr., and Sergio Gor, a key Trump ally, visited Greenland to bolster the idea that the region could benefit from becoming part of the U.S.

The basis of Trump's demand for the Panama Canal is based on what he believes is unfair treatment. He claims that the U.S. should have a better hold on the Canal since it holds strategic importance and China is taking over the region. 

As far as Canada is concerned, Trump has mentioned the trade deficit, the military protection the U.S. has provided to Canada, and the country's dependency on American military support. He has demanded that Canada either pay for this protection or become part of the U.S. as the 51st state. In both cases, Trump has hinted at using economic or military pressure to achieve his goals.

Trump's demands challenge established long-standing treaties, international norms, and sovereignty. His suggestions are causing problems for key allies like NATO countries, Canada and Denmark, that administrate Greenland. 

These nations have rejected what the president had claimed, with Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau in Canada, a conservative party leader, Pierre Poilievre saying that it is simply unacceptable for this idea of being one of the U.S. states.

Trump's policy of expansion in territories has altered international relations and questions the rules-based global order, considering the fact that the U.S. last expanded its territory in 1947 when it took the Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall Islands.

Trump's history of positions he has taken over the years has indicated that he usually takes a hardline stance as a negotiation tactic. His threats could be a way to force Canada to resolve issues like trade imbalances and immigration. He might also be pressuring Panama and Denmark to limit Chinese influence in their regions and give the U.S. greater access to local resources. However, the mere fact that the U.S. president-elect claims such things puts him in the category of breaking the traditional rules of diplomacy within global politics.

What did Trump say about Canada?

In a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump voiced his frustration over Canada's reliance on the U.S. military and its trade imbalance. "We are spending hundreds of billions a year to protect it," he said, referring to Canada's military reliance on the U.S. "We don’t need anything from them, so why are we losing $200 billion a year to protect Canada?” He suggested that if Canada were a U.S. state, this situation could be avoided.

Trump's remarks about Canada started as a lighthearted chat with Prime Minister Trudeau in late November, which eventually turned into a more serious discussion of the U.S. annexing Canada as a state. Since then, Trump has referred to Trudeau as the "governor" and suggested that Canada could become the 51st state.

However, Trudeau and Poilievre quickly shot down these proposals. Trudeau referred to the proposal as “a snowball’s chance in hell” while Poilievre reassured Canadians that Canada would not become a province of another country.

Trump’s views on Panama Canal and Greenland 

Trump has even condemned Jimmy Carter's decision in 1999 to transfer the Canal's administration to Panama, saying that the deal was unfair and that China now reaches out to influence the Canal with the free hand it is given in Panama. Trump alleged that China controls both ends of the Canal despite Panama's dismissal of this notion.

As far as Greenland is concerned, Trump claimed strategic importance and connected it with national security; the U.S. needs to be in control of the territory due to increased Chinese and Russian presence in the region. He even threatened Denmark with high tariffs if it did not submit to U.S. claims over Greenland. To sell the idea of American control, Trump's son visited Greenland; however, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen categorically dismissed the idea that Greenland was on sale.

A Western Hemisphere focus

These territorial claims reveal Trump's focus on protecting American interests in the Western Hemisphere. With the appointment of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, it appears that Trump is focusing on countering Chinese and Russian influence in the Americas. 

Rubio's experience in Latin America may indicate an attempt to make U.S. dominance in the region a priority, much like the Monroe Doctrine of 1823.

Whether these claims are part of Trump’s long-term strategy to bolster American power or simply negotiating tactics remains unclear. However, they undeniably signal a shift in U.S. foreign policy and could have lasting consequences on global diplomacy.