‘Gulf of America’: Trump says he wants to rename Gulf of Mexico, setting out territorial ambitions
Less than two weeks out from his return to the White House, Donald Trump has set out a number of controversial territorial ambitions.
World
Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Donald Trump has revealed plans to rename the ‘Gulf of Mexico’ to the ‘Gulf of America’, setting out a number of territorial ambitions for the US just two weeks out from becoming president.
The incoming president said the controversial name change had a “beautiful ring” to it as he spoke at a wide-ranging press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.
“That covers a lot of territory, the Gulf of America. What a beautiful name and it’s appropriate,” Mr Trump said.
The 78-year-old also warned he will order “very serious tariffs” against Mexico and Canada over illegal border crossings.
“Mexico has to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country,” he said.
“They can stop them, and we’re going to put very serious tariffs on Mexico and Canada, because Canada, they come through Canada too, and the drugs that are coming through are at record numbers.”
Mr Trump previously threatened 25 per cent tariffs against Canada and Mexico after winning last year’s election.
Congress, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was quick to express her approval over the name change.
“I’ll be introducing legislation ASAP to officially change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to its rightful name, the Gulf of America!” she wrote on X.
Mr Trump also spoke of the possibility of imposing tariffs on Denmark Greenland, and refused to rule out using military force to seize the autonomous territory as well at the Panama Canal.
The Panama Canal is a critical transportation channel which connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, allowing ships to avoid the lengthy, hazardous route around the southernmost tip of South America.
In his remarks, the Preside-elect criticised former President Jimmy Carter, who died last week, for overseeing a treaty which gave Panama control of the key waterway.
“He was a good man. I knew him a little bit, and he was a very fine person. But that was a big mistake,” he said.
Revealing further ambitions, Mr Trump said he intended to use “economic force” to acquire Canada, ruling out use of military force.
As with many of Mr Trump’s pronouncements, it was difficult at times to separate humour or bombast from genuine policy, but he said eliminating the “artificially drawn” US-Canada border would be a boon to national security.
“Canada and the United States, that would really be something,” he said. “You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like, and it would also be much better for national security.”
It comes after Mr Trump suggested Canada should merge with the US to form one “great nation”, hours after Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation.
“Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State,” Mr Trump wrote in a post on Truth social.
“If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!”
Inauguration approaches
Mr Trump had gathered reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort to announce a $32 billion ($US20 billion) Emirati investment in US technology.
Much of the press conference was focused on criticism of President Joe Biden, whom Mr Trump baselessly accused of being behind the multiple legal challenges he faces – including the possible release of a federal report into his efforts to overturn 2020 election and sentencing set for Friday in his New York hush money case.
Mr Trump, who returns to the White House on January 20, hit his rival on inflation and vowed to overturn the Democrat’s executive order banning offshore oil and gas development off swathes of US coastline.
The press conference came a day after Congress counted and certified Trump’s state-by-state electoral college votes, officially naming him the next president, on the fourth anniversary of the 2021 US Capitol riot by a pro-Trump mob.
Mr Trump has promised to pardon many of his supporters who stormed Congress and was asked if that would extend to people who had assaulted police. He dodged the question and claimed falsely that the crowd at the Capitol had been unarmed.
– With AFP
Originally published as ‘Gulf of America’: Trump says he wants to rename Gulf of Mexico, setting out territorial ambitions
Chilling air traffic controller audio released
The chaotic scenes in the aftermath of the Washington, DC plane crash have been laid bare after the reality of the situation sank in.
Netanyahu slams ‘shocking’ chaos at hostage handover
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the treatment of seven hostages, who were pushed and shoved as they were released to the Red Cross, was unacceptable. Follow for updates.