Speaking at press conference at Mar-a-Lago, the incoming US president explicitly declined to give assurances against using military or economic coercion when pressed about his plans regarding Panama and Greenland.
"I can't assure you on either of those two," Trump said in response to a question. "But I can say this, we need them for economic security."
The remarks came during a rambling session with journalists at his Florida resort home and will probably set off diplomatic alarm bells round the world as Trump prepares to return to the White House on 20 January with an agenda of muscular nationalism.
Trump claimed the canal, which was transferred to Panamanian control in 1999 under a 1977 treaty, was being "operated by China", an assertion that comes amid his repeated calls for the strategic waterway to be returned to US control.
"The Panama Canal was built for our military," Trump said. "Look, the Panama Canal is vital to our country. It's being operated by China. China! And we gave the Panama Canal to Panama, we didn't give it to China."
When it came to Greenland, Trump threatened economic retaliation against Denmark, noting that if they resisted his territorial ambitions he "would tariff Denmark at a very high level".
His tough talk also extended to Canada, which he similarly threatened with "very serious tariffs" while dismissing its military capabilities.
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