Roving Periscope: St Trump wants Christmas ‘gifts’ from Canada, Greenland, and Panama Canal!
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Finding Alaska unviable to retain, Russia sold the icy desert to the United States on March 30, 1867, for a mere USD 7.2 million (now, the equivalent of nearly USD 150 million). In recent years, Russia has wanted to buy Alaska back.
The US, on the other hand, is not just keeping Alaska, but also eyeing Canada, Greenland, and even the control of the Panama Canal, in what is viewed as neo-imperialistic policies.
Donald Trump’s recent statements may indicate this emerging geopolitical strategy as he re-enters the White House as the 47th President on January 20, 2025.
Trump once again sparked a social media frenzy with his Christmas Day message on Wednesday when he advised Canadian ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky to run for his country’s Prime Ministerial office next year. Making this statement on his social media platform Truth Social, he called Gretzky a natural leader who could easily win a national election, in what is seen as yet another sarcastic jibe to ‘outgoing’ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the media reported on Thursday.
“I just left Wayne Gretzky, ‘The Great One’ as he is known in ice hockey circles,” Trump wrote. “I said, ‘Wayne, why don’t you run for Prime Minister of Canada, soon to be known as the Governor of Canada? You would win easily, you wouldn’t even have to campaign.”
The “Governor of Canada” remark appeared to reference Trump’s recent joke about Canada becoming the 51st US state, wherein he even offered Trudeau the governorship.
Ironically, Trump also revealed that Gretzky showed no interest in entering politics. However, he urged Canadians to start a “DRAFT WAYNE GRETZKY” movement, suggesting it would be entertaining to witness.
Gretzky, who holds dual US-Canadian citizenship, has yet to respond publicly to the remarks. His family was photographed visiting Mar-a-Lago in Florida after Trump’s November election victory, with Gretzky seen wearing a white-and-gold “Make America Great Again” cap in an Instagram post.
Trump’s remarks came when Trudeau’s ruling Liberal Party, currently in a coalition with the pro-Khalistani New Democratic Party (NDP), could face a no-confidence vote in January. Should the coalition collapse, Canadians may head to the polls ahead of the scheduled federal election in October 2025.
As he tried to stir up Canadian politics, Trump also announced on Wednesday he could nominate Kevin Marino Cabrera, a Florida Republican official and 2020 campaign aide, as the new US Ambassador to Panama. This is seen in line with his recent ‘threats’ to reassert US control over the Panama Canal, which links the eastern US coastline with the western with a waterway.
On Christmas Eve, Trump shared an unconventional Christmas message with sarcastic remarks targeting political issues such as the Panama Canal, Canada’s tax policies, and Greenland, drawing sharp contrasts with Biden’s approach.
While outgoing Joe Biden offered a traditional note emphasizing “kindness and compassion,” Trump used the occasion to make controversial political statements and air grievances.
On his Truth Social, Trump said: “Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago), always making certain that the United States puts in billions of dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about ‘anything.’”
Trump also aimed Canadian PM Trudeau: “To Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada, whose citizens’ taxes are far too high, but if Canada were to become our 51st state, their taxes would be cut by more than 60 percent, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other country anywhere in the world.”
Addressing Greenland, he added, “Likewise, to the people of Greenland, which is needed by the United States for national security purposes and, who want the US to be there, and we will!”
Trump’s Christmas posts included more than three dozen messages, some of which mocked “radical left lunatics,” suggested purchasing Greenland, and announced Kevin Marino Cabrera as his choice for US ambassador to Panama. He referred to Panama as “a country that is ripping us off on the Panama Canal.”
He also shared a self-styled image as “Patriot of the Year” and reposted articles praising his cabinet picks, juxtaposing these with criticisms of former President Barack Obama. His unconventional posts contrasted sharply with Biden’s message of unity, reflecting the deepening polarisation in American politics.
