The President's Daily Brief
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | January 8th, 2025: Trump Suggests US Could Take Greenland, Panama Canal By Force & Multiple Wildfires Tear Through Los Angeles County
08 Jan 2025
In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin: First, President-elect Donald Trump gave a wild press conference on Tuesday where he spoke about his intent to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal, saying he would not rule out using military force to seize the territories. We’ll discuss the strategic importance of both areas, and why Trump is so focused on bringing them under American control. Then, multiple wildfires, fanned by hurricane force winds that show no signs of letting up, are tearing through Los Angeles County, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate as their homes get engulfed by the inferno. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Full Episode
It's Wednesday, 8 January. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Alright, let's get briefed. First, President-elect Donald Trump gave one of his trademark press conferences on Tuesday when he spoke about his intent to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal, saying he would not rule out using military force to seize the territories.
We'll discuss the strategic importance of both areas and why President-elect Trump is so focused on bringing them under American control. I remember actually that Thomas Jefferson got the same sort of reaction back in the day during a press conference when he announced his plans for the Louisiana Purchase. Then...
Multiple wildfires, fanned by unrelenting winds, are tearing through Los Angeles County, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate as their homes get engulfed by the inferno. But first, our afternoon spotlight. President-elect Donald Trump might have his eye on U.S.
expansion, saying at a press conference on Tuesday that he's dead serious about acquiring both the Panama Canal and Greenland to strengthen America's strategic national security interests. Trump gave the remarks as a delegation of aides and advisors, including his son Donald Trump Jr., traveled to Greenland on Tuesday to make inroads on the issue.
With just two weeks to go until he returns to the Oval Office, Trump is already testing geopolitical norms as he looks to expand America's global sphere of influence, according to a report from the Associated Press. During the press conference, Trump suggested he could even use military force to seize control of both Greenland and the Panama Canal.
When asked about that possibility, Trump said, "...I'm not going to commit to that. It might be that you'll have to do something. The Panama Canal is vital to our country." He added, "...we need Greenland for national security purposes." So, you ask yourself, why is the president-elect so focused on Greenland and the Panama Canal?
While it's impossible to know the president-elect's full thinking on the matter, the simple answer likely lies with the threat posed by the expansionist-minded regimes in China and Russia. Greenland sits on vast deposits of rare earth minerals, oil, and gas, and is positioned near crucial global trade and military arteries.
The supply of rare earth minerals is of particular importance as they're used in everything from phones to electric cars and military equipment. China has been vying for dominance of Greenland's natural resources in recent years, while also pursuing expanded shipping routes through the region's waters.
Russia, meanwhile, has recently reopened dozens of Soviet-era military bases in the Arctic region, as tensions with the West deteriorate due to Putin's war in Ukraine. Between China and Russia, Trump argues that the US needs Greenland to deter potential threats and ensure America's top adversaries don't end up controlling the strategically important Arctic waters.
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