New Delhi: While outgoing President Joe Biden honoured the sacrifices of US service members, President-elect Donald Trump shared a series of Christmas messages advocating the annexation of Canada, Denmark’s Greenland and the Panama Canal.
On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump began with straightforward holiday wishes accompanied by a photo of him and his wife, but the messages soon veered into rather unconventional territory.
“Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago), always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about ‘anything,” Trump posted.
Trump had been talking about taking over the Panama Canal in a series of social media posts and a speech last weekend, which had resulted in multiple dismissals from the Central American nation’s leadership.
Earlier on December 21, he had posted that “fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous”.
From January 1, there will be a further increase in fees for crossing the Panama Canal.
He had also expressed concern that the Panama Canal could fall into the “wrong hands”.
Connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the canal was opened in 1914 and was controlled by the US till 1977. It returned to the full territorial control of Panama in 1999. The Hong Kong-based C.K. Hutchison Holdings has managed the two ports at both the canal’s entrances since 1997.
When announcing the nomination of Kevin Marino Cabrera as the US ambassador to Panama, Trump again claimed that Panama was “ripping us off on the Panama Canal, far beyond their wildest dream.”
On Sunday, Panama’s president José Raúl Mulino said in a video posted on X that “every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent zones is part of Panama, and it will continue to be.”
He added: “Our country’s sovereignty and independence are not negotiable. Every Panamanian, here or everywhere in the world, carried it in their heart and it is part of our history of struggle and an irreversible conquest”.
He also said that the Canal has “no control, direct or indirect, neither from China, nor from the European community, nor from the US or any other power”.
Trump, set to assume the presidency on January 20, reiterated his call for the US to take control of Greenland and Canada.
“Also, to Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada, whose Citizens’ Taxes are far too high: if Canada were to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World. Likewise, to the people of Greenland, which is needed by the United States for National Security purposes and who want the U.S. to be there, and we will!” Trump declared in his Christmas posts.
On Sunday, the president-elect also announced PayPal co-founder Ken Howery as his nominee for ambassador to Denmark, stating, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”
Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede responded on Monday, firmly stating, “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom”.
Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, holds significant strategic value for the US due to its location on the shortest route between North America and Europe. It is also home to a major US space facility and boasts substantial mineral reserves.
Trump first floated the idea of acquiring Greenland in 2019 during his first term, a suggestion dismissed by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen as “absurd”. The remark led Trump to cancel a planned state visit to Denmark.
Denmark’s defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, told Jyllands-Posten on Tuesday that the country plans to allocate at least $1.5 billion to bolster their presence in the Arctic. He described the timing of the announcement as an “irony of fate”.
The funding will facilitate the purchase of two new inspection ships, two long-range drones and the deployment of two additional dog sled teams, Poulsen said. It will also provide for increased staffing at the Arctic Command headquarters in Nuuk and upgrades to one of Greenland’s three primary civilian airports, enabling it to accommodate F-35 supersonic fighter jets.
Since their dinner meeting in November, Trump has taken to calling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “governor” and repeatedly suggesting that Canada join the US as its 51st state.
Canada’s public safety minister, Dominic LeBlanc, initially dismissed Trump’s remarks as a joke when the president reportedly floated the idea during the dinner with Trudeau late last month.
In yet another Christmas Day post on Truth Social, Trump claimed he suggested to Canadian hockey legendary player Wayne Gretzky that he should run for prime minister of Canada.
“I just left Wayne Gretzky, ‘The Great One,’ as he is known in ice-hockey circles,” Trump posted on Wednesday afternoon.
“I said, ‘Wayne, why don’t you run for prime minister of Canada, soon to be known as the governor of Canada—you would win easily, you wouldn’t even have to campaign.’ He had no interest,” Trump wrote.
Trump added that it would be “fun to watch” if Canadians started a movement urging the retired hockey star to seek office.
This comes against the backdrop of Trump previously threatening to impose 25% cent import tariffs on Canada.
In a post on X, his son, Eric Trump shared a doctored photo of his father purchasing Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal on Amazon, with the phrase “We are so back!!!”
The president-elect also continued his holiday tradition of addressing the “Radical Left Lunatics” in the US.
“Merry Christmas to the Radical Left Lunatics, who are constantly trying to obstruct our Court System and our Elections, and are always going after the Great Citizens and Patriots of the United States but, in particular, their Political Opponent, ME. They know that their only chance of survival is getting pardons from a man who has absolutely no idea what he is doing,” Trump wrote in another post on Wednesday, referring at the end to Biden.
He went on: “Also, to the 37 most violent criminals, who killed, raped, and plundered like virtually no one before them, but were just given, incredibly, a pardon by Sleepy Joe Biden. I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky ‘souls’ but, instead, will say, GO TO HELL! We had the Greatest Election in the History of our Country, a bright light is now shining over the U.S.A. and, in 26 days, we will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
On Monday, Biden announced that he was commuting the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates. They will remain in prison for life without the possibility of parole.
On Christmas Eve, Biden shared a message on his personal X account, acknowledging the sacrifices of US service members.
“Jill and I hold a special place in our hearts for the brave men and women in uniform who defend our nation, many of whom are away from their families this holiday season. Wishing you and your loved ones a safe Christmas Eve,” Biden wrote, accompanied by a photo of him and wife Jill Biden.
Jill and I hold a special place in our hearts for the brave men and women in uniform who defend our nation, many of whom are away from their families this holiday season.
Wishing you and your loved ones a safe Christmas Eve. pic.twitter.com/BRIxLcaWmY
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 24, 2024
There’s a true selflessness in giving up a seat at your Christmas table to defend your country.
This Christmas, Jill and I spoke with service members serving around the world to share just how grateful we are for their courage and sacrifice. pic.twitter.com/1pAi1HYdCB
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 25, 2024
On Christmas Day, he posted a message to the presidential X account: “Merry Christmas, America!” with a video of him and Jill Biden at the Children’s National Hospital in Washington DC.
“Merry Christmas, America. We’re joining you from the Children’s National Hospital where we’ve been spreading holiday cheer to children and families. And them to us as well,” the president said.