Senator Ted Cruz

And so what I said is, look, I think we should pursue this seriously. I'll tell you, I had a conversation this week with the Danish ambassador to the United States. And look, Denmark's a little freaked out by all this conversation. And I'll tell you what I told the ambassador. I said, listen, Denmark is our friend. You are our ally. You will continue to be our friend and ally.

But friends and allies can have conversations. And the ambassador said, well, Greenland's not for sale. I said, that's fine. Everything's for sale. We're going to have a conversation. And by the way, if you maintain that, one of the things this has produced is a growing independence movement in Greenland.

But friends and allies can have conversations. And the ambassador said, well, Greenland's not for sale. I said, that's fine. Everything's for sale. We're going to have a conversation. And by the way, if you maintain that, one of the things this has produced is a growing independence movement in Greenland.

And if you do nothing, you may end up getting nothing for Greenland because they break off on their own. Now, look, for it to happen, I think you would probably have to have a referendum on Greenland. I find it quite plausible that the Greenlanders, about 50,000 of them, would say, wait a second, I get to be an American? Their poll just showed positive results.

And if you do nothing, you may end up getting nothing for Greenland because they break off on their own. Now, look, for it to happen, I think you would probably have to have a referendum on Greenland. I find it quite plausible that the Greenlanders, about 50,000 of them, would say, wait a second, I get to be an American? Their poll just showed positive results.

I mean, to become an American is in many ways the greatest gift we can give anyone on planet Earth.

I mean, to become an American is in many ways the greatest gift we can give anyone on planet Earth.

And the billions in investment, if Greenland became an American territory, the difference it would make for Greenlanders.

And the billions in investment, if Greenland became an American territory, the difference it would make for Greenlanders.

So look, Ken Howery, you guys know, I know, is a good friend who has been nominated to be ambassador to Denmark. I've talked with Ken just yesterday about this. I think we need to lean in and try to negotiate, both with Denmark and Greenland. I'm certainly from the Senate going to push it. But I wanted to contrast it. Is Canada going to become a state? No.

So look, Ken Howery, you guys know, I know, is a good friend who has been nominated to be ambassador to Denmark. I've talked with Ken just yesterday about this. I think we need to lean in and try to negotiate, both with Denmark and Greenland. I'm certainly from the Senate going to push it. But I wanted to contrast it. Is Canada going to become a state? No.

But Greenland, listen, we acquired Louisiana purchase. We purchased from France. Alaska, we purchased from Russia.

But Greenland, listen, we acquired Louisiana purchase. We purchased from France. Alaska, we purchased from Russia.

And so Panama, I view as kind of in the middle of the two. And Panama is a little more complicated. Look, I think Jimmy Carter giving away the Panama Canal remains one of the most spectacularly stupid decisions a president has ever done in office. I think it was profoundly harmful to U.S. national security interests, to our economic interests.

And so Panama, I view as kind of in the middle of the two. And Panama is a little more complicated. Look, I think Jimmy Carter giving away the Panama Canal remains one of the most spectacularly stupid decisions a president has ever done in office. I think it was profoundly harmful to U.S. national security interests, to our economic interests.

That being said, it's been long enough that unwinding it is really tough. However, President Trump, if you listen to what he's saying on Panama, he's got actually some very sophisticated legal arguments that he's making. Number one, when we gave the Panama Canal to Panama, technically sold it for a dollar, we had a binding agreement that laid out the terms of that transfer.

That being said, it's been long enough that unwinding it is really tough. However, President Trump, if you listen to what he's saying on Panama, he's got actually some very sophisticated legal arguments that he's making. Number one, when we gave the Panama Canal to Panama, technically sold it for a dollar, we had a binding agreement that laid out the terms of that transfer.

And one argument that President Trump has put forth is that Panama is in violation of that agreement because they have allowed China to effectively seize control of the canal. How is that? Because a Chinese state-owned enterprise owns a building on one end of the canal and on the other end of the canal.

And one argument that President Trump has put forth is that Panama is in violation of that agreement because they have allowed China to effectively seize control of the canal. How is that? Because a Chinese state-owned enterprise owns a building on one end of the canal and on the other end of the canal.

And should we be at a point of conflict, military or other, with China, it's not difficult to imagine those Chinese state-owned enterprises using that location to try to shut down