Author: Ryan Wolfe, reporter for The Metropolitan

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 that the 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 they both 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.