President-elect Donald Trump seems poised to revive the Monroe Doctrine.
On Sunday, Trump reopened discussions about purchasing rare earth minerals-rich Greenland. This move follows his earlier remarks, threatening to reclaim control of the Panama Canal amid concerns over a potential Chinese takeover.
"For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity," Trump wrote on Truth Social, while also announcing Ken Howery for US ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark.
Trump said:
I am pleased to announce Ken Howery as my choice for United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark. Ken is a World renowned entrepreneur, investor, and public servant, who served our Nation brilliantly during my First Term as US Ambassador to Sweden, where he led efforts to increase Defense, Security, and Economic Cooperation between our Countries. As a Co-Founder of PayPal and venture capital fund, Founders Fund, Ken turned American Innovation and Tech leadership into Global success stories, and that experience will be invaluable in representing us abroad.
...
Ken will do a wonderful job in representing the interests of the United States. Thank you Ken, and congratulations!
The broader theme is that the Trump team appears to be adopting the Monroe Doctrine, signaling a renewed focus that the US will continue Western Hemisphere domination for decades and will no longer tolerate any other competition in controlling strategic maritime chokepoints or natural resources in the hemisphere.
As Washington forges ahead with efforts to rebuild America's rare earth minerals mining and refining supply chains that decouple from China, Greenland's vast mineral deposits, graphite, and lithium—key inputs for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and transmission lines—position it as a critical landmass for Trump to acquire to ensure the viability of the clean energy transition.
China's monopoly on these minerals has forced Washington to closely monitor Chinese influence in Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory in the North Atlantic.
During Trump's first term, he attempted to purchase Greenland, describing it as "essentially a large real estate deal." The US had previously pursued the acquisition of the resource-rich island, including a $100 million offer in 1946.
In addition to Greenland, on Saturday, Trump warned that if Panama did not lower transit costs for US ships through the canal, the US could potentially take back the Panama Canal.
Trump's interest in the Panama Canal is not necessarily about fees. The actual issue is that China now controls two of the five ports adjacent to the canal: Balboa on the Pacific and Cristobal on the Caribbean.
Once again, Trump's second term will likely signal a revival of the Monroe Doctrine, with zero tolerance for China's influence in the Western Hemisphere.