Former Trump national security advisor Robert O’Brien explained on FNC’s “Sunday Morning Futures” why Donald Trump wants to buy Greenland and control the Panama Canal.
Both Trump targets have given strong pushback regarding any potential takeovers, raising red flags about whether the talk of takeovers was typical Trump bluster. But O’Brien indicated his reasoning on both, saying the points he raised were serious.
“We love the Panamanians. They’re good people. They’re friends of America,” O’Brien said. “But they gave the ports on both ends of the canal to the Chinese.” Such actions, O’Brien said, could lead to China shutting down the Canal without military efforts.”
O’Brien’s segment starts at 20:08 above.
“We built it, we paid for it, and we operated it for many years. And then, in a tremendous act of generosity, which was probably foolish, Jimmy Carter gave the canal back to the Panamanians. But it wasn’t just a free gift. There are conditions, that the canal remain neutral,” he added.
The fact that American shippers are being charged high prices is also a sticking point, O’Brien said. “And they’re ripping us off.”
About Greenland: “Denmark’s a wonderful place. Copenhagen’s a wonderful city. But they have got to do their part. They can’t have this vast empire and then not defend it and leave it to the U.S. to do it. So we’re going to either buy it, they’re going to defend it, or they can pay us to defend it,” he said. He also floated the idea of Greenland becoming part of Alaska.
The sticking point with Greenland is its strategic location, which will grow as climate change opens up new shipping possibilities in the Arctic. “But we’re not going to defend it for free and not develop Greenland and not extract the minerals and oil and resources of Greenland,” O’Brien said.
“It’s no more free riding, even for people we love like the Danes,” he concluded.
