New Manifest Destiny? Trump spurs expansion talks with Greenland, Canada pitches

Donald Trump Jr.’s trip to Greenland this week has added some substance to the president-elect’s renewed discussion of purchasing the island as he also doubles down on making Canada the fifty-first state. The territorial proposals have come somewhat out of left field as Trump made no significant mention of expanding American borders during the 2024 campaign trail.

On Tuesday morning, the president-elect’s eldest son and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk arrived on the island, with the elder Trump saying “the reception has been great.”

“They, and the Free World, need safety, security, strength, and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!” he posted on Truth Social. Trump Jr. subsequently posted a photo with Greenlanders wearing MAGA hats and stating that the locals sought to tap the natural resources of the island.

“They just want to be able to utilize some of the incredible resources that they have and allow themselves, their country, and their kids to flourish,” the younger Trump added.

Trump previously inquired after purchasing the island from Denmark during his first term in office, but Copenhagen was not open to it. Greenland is self-governing, but is officially a territory of Denmark.

It’s not just Greenland, however, that Trump seems interested in acquiring. In recent weeks, he has made multiple suggestions that Canada become the 51st U.S. state, jokingly referring to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the “governor” of Canada.

To the south, he has repeatedly criticized former President Jimmy Carter for selling the Panama Canal to Panama for $1 and insisted that the country was violating the agreement by overcharging American ships and essentially handing the crucial waterway to China.

He has further declined to rule out military or economic coercion to secure control of Greenland or Panama, telling reporters at a Palm Beach press conference on Tuesday that "[no]... I can't assure you on either of those two.”

“But I can say this, we need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for our military,” he added. “I'm not going to commit to that now, it might, it might be that you'll have to do something. Look, the Panama Canal is vital to our country.”

“We're going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring that covers a lot of territory, the Gulf of America. What a beautiful name. And it's appropriate,” he added.

The proposition of sweeping territorial acquisitions appears to have resonated with Trump’s base, with conservative-leaning outlets touting the so-called “Donroe Doctrine,” an apparent parody of the Monroe Doctrine asserting that Washington should work to keep European empires out of the New World.

Others have compared the push for more land to the old Manifest Destiny of the 19th Century, which espoused an American need to reach the Pacific Ocean. After the Louisiana Purchase, the United States expanded west, largely under President James K. Polk, who annexed the Republic of Texas, negotiated the partition of the Oregon Country with the UK, and seized much of the modern American southwest in a war with Mexico.

Trump’s opponents have expressed frustration with sudden push for American expansion, highlighting that he did not run on such moves and that he had promised to address cost of living rather than expand the nation’s border.

“House Democrats are focused on lowering the high cost of living in America. Not invading Greenland,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries posted this week.

“Trump’s Greenland, Canada & Panama talk is a distraction so everyone forgets what he promised,” Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Ma., posted. “He said he would end the war in Ukraine before he even becomes president. He promised cheaper groceries, $2/ gallon gas & no more taxes on overtime. Don’t let him move the goalposts.”

On the other side of the Atlantic, America's European allies have expressed concern over his comments.

"Borders must not be moved by force. This principle applies to every country, whether in the East or the West," posted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. "In talks with our European partners, there is an uneasiness regarding recent statements from the US. It is clear: We must stand together."

The president-elect, for his part, seems to have made much of the Canadian acquisition and other expansion plans, regularly posting visual content merging the United States and its northern neighbor.

“Oh Canada!” he posted, along with an image the two nations united and colored with an American flag. He subsequently posted a similar image of both nations, with the words “United States” covering them.

Still, plenty online believe Trump to be simply trolling his opponents with talk of expansion and social media has been flush with memes depicting Trump as a viking warrior. Trump is slated to take office on Jan. 20 and it remains to be seen whether he will follow through on any of his territorial claims.