Donald Trump says the U.S. needs control of Greenland and the Panama Canal "for national security." Here's why both places are so important.

President-elect Donald Trump wouldn't rule out military or economic coercion, saying the U.S. needs to stop China. Also a factor: climate change.

Trump's stance marks a departure from decades of U.S. policy that has prioritized self-determination over territorial expansion.

"We need Greenland for national security purposes," President-elect Trump said during a Tuesday press conference focused on the economy.

President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday he would not rule out using “military force” to make Greenland and the Panama Canal Zone US territories. “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two,” the incoming president told a reporter who inquired about the possibility of US military or economic coercion to acquire the disputed land.

Still two weeks away from taking office, Trump has begun outlining an aggressive foreign policy with little regard to diplomatic considerations or the concerns of U.S. allies.

Flags of Greenland pictured during a coffee gathering hosted by Greenland's Prime Minister at the Greenlandic Representation in Copenhagen, 9 January, 2025