Are We Heading Towards a New Age of American Imperialism?
By: Ryan Wolfe
American politics has taken an unexpected turn since the start of the second Trump
administration. President Trump has entertained the idea of acquiring Greenland, adding Canada
as the 51st state, reclaiming the Panama Canal, and now, considering taking Gaza from the
Palestinians. These proposals suggest a new era of imperialism. How will these actions impact
Americans and citizens abroad? We must examine the finer details of each case to understand the
potential consequences.
First, the consideration of acquiring Greenland has been a topic of discussion since President
Trump took office. Mette Fredriksen, Denmark’s Prime Minister, has repeatedly stated that
Greenland is not for sale. While the idea of taking Greenland from Denmark may seem abrupt,
there is some rationale behind this endeavor. With the Arctic ice melting rapidly due to climate
change, rare metals and minerals like lithium, uranium, graphite, gold, and several others are
becoming accessible. Many of these resources remain untouched, and the extent of their deposits
is still unknown. Naturally, the prospect of economic gain is a driving factor behind President
Trump’s interest. There is also concern about potential trade routes and business opportunities if
more Arctic ice melts. For now, Fredriksen stands firm, refusing to let Greenland go easily,
despite President Trump’s threats to use “military force” to take it from Denmark.
Another idea President Trump has entertained is annexing Canada as the “51st state”. Like
Fredriksen, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has firmly stated, “You can’t take our
country,” especially after Canada beat the U.S. in the 4 Nations hockey championship. Trudeau
continues to express his respect for the U.S. and his desire to maintain a friendly and trading
relationship, but President Trump has different plans for their alliance. He believes annexing
Canada would address the U.S.’s financial losses in trade and capitalize on Canada’s oil reserves.
President Trump also cites immigration concerns and drug trafficking between the nations as
reasons for annexation. While the idea of merging the two countries is implausible, fostering
stronger ties between them would be a more sensible approach.
Additionally, there would be numerous logistical challenges concerning laws, regulations, and
governance if the two countries were to merge. Would Canada become a single state, or would its
provinces be divided into individual states? How would the economy be impacted by the sudden
addition of 38 million people? Many issues would need to be addressed, and it would
undoubtedly be a long and grueling process.
The concept of reclaiming the Panama Canal has also been mentioned recently. It’s unclear
whether the aim is to take over the entire nation like Greenland or Canada, but the primary target
is the famous trade route. In 2022, Panama recorded the highest number of ships passing through
the canal, with 14,200 vessels. President Trump believes China “is running” the canal and thatthe U.S. is losing significant revenue due to tolls and trading deals. The rise in tolls is attributed
to a lack of water in recent years and basic supply and demand principles. When supply
decreases and demand exceeds capacity, costs rise for the producer, who then passes them on to
the consumer. It’s Economics 101 when it comes to these niche issues regarding trade, tariffs, and
international tolls. With China’s involvement, there appears to be close ties between China and
Panama, posing an economic threat to the United States. This could lead to labor violations and
corruption if China gains more influence in the region, potentially causing widespread issues,
especially for ordinary citizens. The canal cannot be locked down or stopped; it must continue to
handle imports and exports daily. So, how would the U.S. obtain the canal? Would it be by force
or negotiation? Or do we simply need better conversations with Panama compared to China?
Only time will tell.
The most concerning idea is the plan for Gaza and the Palestinians. The notion of creating a
Mar-a-Lago-style resort in Gaza could be devastating for everyone in the region, including the
U.S. Over 2 million Palestinians live in the Gaza Strip, and resettling them would be an
enormous and laborious task. President Trump has proposed that Egypt, Jordan, and other
neighboring nations take in the Palestinians. He envisions transforming Gaza into the “Riviera of
the Middle East,” filled with hotels and resorts. This plan seems inhumane and undemocratic,
offering a degrading solution to a complex issue. The U.S. establishing a presence in such a tense
environment could spell disaster for Americans and potentially U.S. troops if they are sent to
take over the region.
In response, warranted pushback from our allies has been directed at President Trump. The
leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt have all called out President Trump, suggesting that
Palestine be recognized as a state and given long-term protection. Unfortunately, President
Trump dismissed these concerns and remains hyper-focused on his plan to take over Gaza.
Recently, President Trump posted an A.I.-generated video of his envisioned “remake” of Gaza,
featuring cruise ships, Elon Musk, resorts, and a golden statue of himself. This all adds up to a
sinister plan to remove and cleanse millions of Palestinians from their homes. This is
unreasonable, as it is unlikely they would leave easily, and no American could rightfully support
this with their tax dollars.
With all these proposals, it seems to contradict Trump’s ambition of “America first”; instead, it
appears to be “spread America more” across the globe. These takeovers reflect a past of
colonialism and imperialism, reminiscent of when the U.S. took over many Pacific islands and
meddled in Central and South America. The administration is currently negotiating a deal to end
the Russia-Ukraine war. This might come at a cost, as Trump avoids openly calling Russian
President Vladimir Putin a “dictator” and blames Ukraine for starting the war, despite Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine in 2022. If Ukraine has to concede territory to Russia, it would be a terrible
blow to the Ukrainian people and Europe alike. President Trump skirts around the issue when it
comes to Putin and Russia, perhaps drawing a comparison between the two leaders since theyboth seek land. The age of imperialism was thought to be left behind in the last century; yet we
seem to be heading towards an unexpected crash course with the President Trump and his
imperialistic ideas.