From Greenland to the Gulf of Mexico, Trump talks up sweeping policy changes: 5 takeaways
WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump is preparing to make expansive policy changes as soon as he takes office on everything from gas stoves to the Gulf of Mexico, which he said on Tuesday he wants to rename the Gulf of America.
Trump underscored during the Palm Beach, Florida, news conference that he plans to undo a myriad number of Biden-era policies, including a newly announced ban on offshore drilling off the United States’ coasts, and overhaul the country's interactions with anyone outside its borders.
Adding to weeks-old threats against top trading partners such as Canada, the incoming president suggested a new defense spending target for NATO allies, offered an updated timeline for ending Russia's war against Ukraine and refused to rule out military force to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland.
He also warned of the possibility of U.S. intervention in the Middle East if Hamas-held hostages are not released, again saying there would be “hell” to pay if they are still in captivity when he takes office.
Trump's comments quickly came under criticism from Canadian leaders, including the nation's outgoing prime minister. The Danish prime minister also stressed on Tuesday that Greenland is not and will not be for sale.
Frustration with Biden over presidential transition
Trump has made no secret of his irritation with President Joe Biden for making last-minute policy changes that run counter to the incoming administration’s agenda.
The latest one came on Monday – a ban on offshore oil and gas drilling – and drew a series of broadsides.
At his news conference, Trump said he was disappointed that Biden’s administration was “trying everything they can to make it more difficult” for him to enact policy, after promising a smooth transition.
“Banning offshore drilling will not stand. I will reverse it immediately. It will be done immediately,” Trump declared. “And we will drill, baby drill.”
Trump’s bid to takeover the Panama Canal and Greenland
Much of Trump’s news conference, which came as the remains of the late U.S. president Jimmy Carter were being transported to Washington, centered on national security, including Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland and exert control over the Panama Canal.
“We need them for economic security,” Trump assessed. “The Panama Canal was built for our military.”
The canal has been under Panama’s control since 1999. To make changes to the treaties the U.S. signed dating back to the Carter administration, Trump would need the support of two-thirds of the U.S. Senate. Republicans currently have a slim 53-47 majority.
Trump argued at his Mar-a-Lago news conference that the Panamanians had “abused” the gift, as he assailed Carter and repeated concerns he raised publicly last month about Chinese influence over shipping and trade routes.
Pressed by a reporter, Trump would not commit to using non-military means to take control of the canal or Greenland, a territory of Denmark that the island’s leader has said is not for sale.
“I’m not going to commit to that. It might be that you’ll have to do something,” Trump said.
Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized on Tuesday that Greenland is not for sale, pointing to the earlier rejection of Trump's offer by the territory's prime minister. She called the idea "absurd," when Trump first raised it in 2019.
"Exasperated" Trump reiterates threat against Hamas
Trump also made a threat of indirect military action against Hamas militants, who are holding seven Americans hostage who were kidnapped in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
“If they’re not back by the time that I get into office, all hell will break out in the Middle East. And it will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone,” Trump said.
Trump declined to go into detail, saying he did not want to hurt negotiations for their release.
“I would say that the president is exasperated,” Steve Witkoff, his appointed special envoy for the Middle East, said during the news conference.
Witkoff said he’d been in Doha and would be returning to Qatar on Wednesday.
Touting progress in the talks, Witkoff said: “I think they heard him loud and clear, getting it done by the inaugural.”
Biden's national security team has also been engaged in the deal-making process, and the White House said Friday that the Biden administration would be working until it leaves office to broker one.
Ending Russia's war against Ukraine
Trump gave himself a longer timeline to put an end to Russia's war against Ukraine, which is approaching its third anniversary on Feb. 24.
"I hope to have six months," Trump said, after he was asked if he could solve the geopolitical impasse within half a year. "I hope long before six months."
On the campaign trail, Trump boasted that he could solve the war in one day and said at a September presidential debate that it could happen during the presidential transition. But he said on Tuesday that he has not met yet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and would not do so until after he takes office on Jan. 20.
"I know that Putin would like to meet," Trump said. "I don't think it's appropriate that I meet until after the 20th which I hate."
Trump has not specified how he will end the war, but he appointed a special envoy, Keith Kellogg, to work on the issue and met in December with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris.
Make America's allies pay (more) for their defense, again
As Trump reimagined what is in the national interest, another lingering beef has reemerged with U.S. allies over how much the country contributes to their defense
Trump groused on Tuesday about how much the U.S. pays to protect Europe and Canada, which he again promised to slap trade penalties on.
NATO nations should be spending 5% of their GDP on defense, he said, touting his success at getting European countries to increase their budgets during his first term.
“I saved NATO. But NATO's taken advantage of us,” Trump said.
Currently, NATO countries agree to spend a minimum of 2% GDP on their defense, although the alliance has debated asking each other to contribute more. All but nine of the alliance’s 32 members were expected to meet that spending floor in 2024.
Trump’s attack on Canada did not stop there. He again taunted the country, whose prime minister said he would resigned office on Monday after coming under assault for his response to Trump’s tariff threats, with becoming a state.
“We basically protect Canada,” Trump said. “I love the Canadian people, they're great, but we're spending hundreds of billions a year to protect it.”
Canada's outgoing prime minister, Justin Trudeau, fired back in an X post, in which he said both countries benefit from the relationship: "There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump talks up sweeping changes to U.S. policy on the way: 5 takeaways