President-elect Donald Trump has doubled down on his bold foreign policy ambitions just weeks before his inauguration. He has opened up his plans that have sparked widespread debate and a mix of diplomatic responses. Be it renaming the Gulf of Mexico or revisiting his controversial assertions on Greenland and the Panama Canal, his latest declarations are a clear heads-up to the “America First” approach to global affairs.
During a fiery news conference on Tuesday, Trump addressed the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. He promised swift and decisive action if hostages are not returned to Israel by the time he assumes office. “If they’re not back by the time 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,” he stated.
View this post on Instagram
The conflict has claimed thousands of lives on both sides. Negotiations have been dragging on since the October 2023 Hamas attacks. Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has already begun groundwork. He traveled to Doha for further negotiations despite the Trump administration not officially holding power until January 20. “I’m really hopeful that by the inaugural, we’ll have some good things to announce,” Witkoff said.
Trump also announced plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico. He called it the “Gulf of America.” “Which has a beautiful ring,” Trump said. “That covers a lot of territory… a beautiful name. And it’s appropriate.”
This move is connected with Trump’s tariff threats on Mexican goods. That has a target to curb fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has been facing her first international challenge since taking office, spoke about her country’s efforts to fight against fentanyl distribution but must now balance diplomacy with defending Mexico’s sovereignty.
Experts warn that Trump’s proposed tariffs could trigger a deep recession in Mexico and retaliatory measures against U.S. imports. That could potentially strain the $800 billion annual trade between the two nations.
Trump revisited his long-listed desire as he again talked about the need for the U.S. acquisition of Greenland. He described the bid to be necessary for “national security purposes.” Greenland’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had rejected the idea. She had said, “There is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future either.”
View this post on Instagram
Similarly, Trump aimed for the Panama Canal. He had accused its operators of overcharging the U.S. and allowing China to gain influence in the region. “They’ve overcharged our ships, overcharged our Navy, and then when they need repair money, they come to the United States to put it up. We get nothing,” Trump said as he vowed to end what he called an “unsustainable” arrangement.
Panama’s leadership pushed back, with President José Raúl Mulino stating, “Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area belong to PANAMA and will continue to be. The sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable.”
When pressed by reporters to commit to non-military or non-coercive strategies in Greenland and Panama, Trump bluntly replied, “No.” He also criticized the late President Jimmy Carter’s handover of the Panama Canal. The President-elect termed it a “failed legacy.”
