Foreign Reactions to US Expansionism
Foreign leaders' public reactions to Trump's wide ranging claims and threats of coercion. Most are expressing doubt that said claims have any conventional diplomatic status, and are uncomfortable.
After president-elect Trump’s pre-inauguration press conference at his personal residence on Tuesday, leaders from the affected countries have reacted with varying degrees of skepticism, bordering on disbelief and strong resentment of the inherent imperialist notes of the speech. World leaders and leaders from around the Globe have responded in similar ways, but filling more of the spectrum ranging from applause over tacit consent to condemnation.
We note that Trump talked for 70 minutes and had time to cover many other subjects, generally in a less than structured way, so the diplomatic outcome has to be based on a certain amount of conjecture or guesswork. Non-diplomatic subjects are left by the side here, not considering that gas heating is better than electrical because the latter makes you itch, and that water pressure is generally too low.
Diplomats and international leaders are left to hope that these matters will be presented in a more structured and consequential way once Trump is inaugurated. Listeners around the World could not be blamed for resolving, jokingly, that this is a novel way to save on the administration’s expenses: Announcing ideas without competent staff preparation and then leaving it up to the public, journalists and foreign rulers to figure out what they all mean and lead to.
Said in another way, these initiatives may well have churned in US strategic circles for the longest time, but they certainly missed the diplomatic ‘packaging’ that important bilateral initiatives normally come with. Trump may think he is acting more like a businessman, but diplomacy pertains to business actions, as well.
Leaders from the directly impacted countries have issued statements before and after Trump’s press conference, commenting on the status and pressures that are involved with the assumed new focus and direction of US foreign policy in these areas.
Panama
President Mulino at the Canal administration office on 31 December 2024. Photo: Ministry of the Presidency
In a speech at the 25th anniversary of the transfer of the Panama Canal to the government of Panama, President José Raúl Mulino said, among other things:
We Panamanians managed to make the Canal ours, then we expanded it and turned it into a key and profitable service for us and for the world. This is clear proof that we can achieve anything we set our minds to. We just have to agree and get to work, without resting.
Today's challenge is to improve water management, achieving sustainable development. The Rio Indio reservoir is a work that cannot be postponed, because it is a matter of national interest to increase water resources for our Canal and a solution to the problem that thousands of compatriots suffer daily: the lack of water.
There are no other hands on our canal, other than Panamanian hands. You can rest assured, it will remain in our hands forever.
In an official statement of 7 January, it said that the government has not had and has not maintained any type of contact, formal or informal, with the President-elect of the United States or with representatives of the next Government of that country, said today the Panamanian Foreign Minister, Javier Martínez-Acha, in response to the latest statements by Donald Trump.
Martínez-Acha said that when President-elect Trump takes office, the relationship between the United States and Panama will be handled through the usual and appropriate formal channels.
The Panamanian foreign minister also reiterated President Mulino's position that the sovereignty of the Panama Canal is not negotiable, since it is part of a historic struggle and an irreversible conquest.
"Our Canal has the mission of serving humanity and world trade. This is one of the great values that we Panamanians offer to the world, giving the international community a guarantee of not taking part or being an active part in any conflict," said Martínez-Acha.
Contrary to Trump’s claims, the Canal is run by Panama, through the Canal Authority, not by Chinese either directly or indirectly. However, the Chinese have established a major presence at each end of the Canal with two major harbor facilities, one at each end of the Canal. China is also running major construction projects like a new bridge over the Canal. In 2018, Panama joined the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, which is of course one reason for US concern, because it generally concerns China gaining influence via financing and debt creation for infrastructure projects.
Trump’s claim that ‘38,000 Americans died’ constructing the Canal is completely false and disrespectful of the real victims of these tragic deaths during the construction, that were overwhelmingly from other Central American countries, and from the Caribbean or Colombia. Americans perished by the hundreds, according to BBC fact-check.
Canada
Premier Justin Trudeau was just as surprised as the rest of the World, when Trump announced that Canada should really become the 51st state. It would really require a major diplomatic effort to convince Canada to join the Union, so the approach was clearly only intended for internal US, MAGA consumption. Or so it seems to rational thinkers outside the new administration.
Trudeau said in a post on X that
However, this happens to occur at a rather inconvenient time for Canada, because Justin Trudeau reached the end of his tenure just now, not completely voluntary. He announced his resignation just a day earlier, on 6 January. Interestingly, this could be said of many of the other countries influenced by the signals sent by the new US administration.
At this juncture, the general lack of direction in the free World seems to be exacerbated by a string of mishaps and unfortunate developments. If - and only if, of course - a hostile force wanted to destroy as much as possible of the political and social fabric in the West, it could not have been executed any more effectively than this cascade of mishaps and disasters.
Many misfortunes converge at one time, amplifying each other
Canada’s parliament will be suspended until March 24 while a new leader is chosen. Trudeau will continue as a lame duck leader of a transitional government.
Greenland’s leader Múte B. Egede announced in his New Year’s speech that he wants a referendum on secession from Denmark, this year. It adds to the uncertainty.
Panama is in urgent need of financing for water management projects, to keep the Canal running and counter drinking water shortages. It is an additional vulnerability.
EU is not able to assume the needed leadership role in Europe. First, EU relies primarily on the strong leadership of the Germany-France axis, which is currently at a low point. Second, the undisputed leader Ursula von der Leyen is down with a bad pneumonia, and has been since December. The new foreign representative Kaja Kallas is respected for her integrity but does not yet hold sufficient sway over decision makers in the EU member states.
Germany is locked in by a snap election that current Chancellor Scholz is not expected to be able to win. He cannot take strong positions because he risks to push away parts of his voters and because he does not want to strengthen support for the extreme right-wing AfD party that is anti-Ukraine and traditionally also anti-USA.
France is suffering from lack of freedom of maneuver because President Macron cannot rely on a majority in Parliament. The right wing will take any chance to strengthen their position in preparation for the presidential elections due at the latest in April 2027, but could come earlier if Macron gives up and is forced to resign.
Denmark is politically in good shape, except that it has taken the most hawkish anti-Russian position more or less possible. If USA changes to an anti-Ukraine position, it would open an undesired conflict with the most important ally of Denmark.
Greenland
Statement of Naalakkersuisut (Greenland’s government) regarding the latest comments from President-elect Donald Trump
Greenland's independence
Greenland belongs to the People of Greenland - and Greenland's development and future are decided solely by its people. The fight for independence is Greenland's own matter. Our future is ours and must be defined by us. We are aware of our rights as a People with the right to self-determination.
International cooperation
States and countries are welcome to have interests in increased cooperation with Greenland. On the road to an independent Greenland, we are open to more and constructive cooperation with our nearest neighbours. Greenland looks forward to discussing the possibilities for business cooperation, the development of Greenland's mineral sector, including critical minerals and other relevant areas with the US.
The Trump administration
Greenland has and will continue to cooperate with the US as one of our closest partners. Greenland has had more than 80 years of defense cooperation with the US for the benefit of the security of Greenland, the US and the rest of the western world. Naalakkersuisut looks forward to establishing contact with President-elect Donald Trump and his new administration.
Changing security dynamics in the Arctic
Greenland is aware of the changed security dynamics in the Arctic. We understand and recognize that Greenland plays a decisive and important role for the US's national security interests. This is the reason why Greenland is the host of an essential American base in North Greenland. Greenland looks forward to working with the incoming US administration and other NATO allies to ensure security and stability in the Arctic region.
The sender is: Minister for Statehood and Foreign Affairs, Vivian Motzfeldt
Today’s reports from Nuuk says that the ‘crowd’ of locals that Don Jr. offered lunch and MAGA hats were picked up on the street and some, when asked, had no idea who was offering them a free lunch.
Denmark
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also was in charge when Trump in 2019 for the first time offered to buy Greenland. At the time, she happened to be in Nuuk and when told during a press meeting in the street, her unprepared reaction was calling the proposition ‘absurd’, which outraged Trump. He immediately cancelled the official visit planned for within the following few days, leading to a major diplomatic crisis. The Queen had, literally, already laid the table with the gold plates and cutlery which would have pleased Trump, as well as the parade in the streets of Copenhagen in a gilded horse-drawn carriage.
It was a very undiplomatic way of saying no, said Trump at the time, calling Mette Frederiksen ‘nasty’. Later, they met in the White House and Trump stated she is a ‘nice lady’. It was another example that diplomacy matters. In Danish, the loan word ‘absurd’ is commonly used to say ‘devoid of meaning’ or ‘unreasonable’. It does not have connotations of ‘silly’ or ‘inappropriate’ like it may have for English speakers.
Last time, the situation was resolved with diplomatic intervention. Hopefully, it will also be the case this time.