President-Elect Donald Trump surprised everyone with his fiery tweet on Christmas day, opining strongly on various political matters. Targeting China’s influence in Panama and taking digs at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and current US President Joe Biden, Trump stirred up quite the debate.
Beginning by addressing China’s alleged involvement in the Panama Canal, Donald Trump claimed that Chinese soldiers were “lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal.” He also highlighted the canal’s historical importance, mentioning that around 38,000 workers died during its construction over a century ago. The president-elect also argued that despite the United States having invested billions of dollars in repairing the canal, it had no say in its operations.
I realize this isn’t breaking news, but Donald Trump is seriously deranged. pic.twitter.com/11Sc45zf7d
— Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@joncoopertweets) December 26, 2024
The Panama Canal is the waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and was under U.S. control until 1977 when a treaty initiated its gradual transfer to Panama, with the process being completed in 1999.
However, no evidence supports Trump’s assertions that China controls the canal. Irrespective of the lack of proof, many social media users agreed with Trump on the matter. A user wrote, “The Panama Canal is critical for defense and military logistics. For the United States, it allows rapid movement of naval ships between the Atlantic and Pacific, crucial for responding to threats quickly.” Another one commented, “He has a point.”
BREAKING:
Donald Trump tells Canada if they become the 51st U.S. state, their taxes will be cut by more than 60%, businesses will double, and they will receive military protection. pic.twitter.com/6VNrq6gQjE
— shailesh sen (@shaileshsen803) December 26, 2024
Donald Trump then went on to attack Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and mockingly termed him as “Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada.” He openly bashed Canada’s tax policies, saying that if the country were to become the 51st US state, citizens would pay 60% less in taxes. He added that businesses would flourish and that military protection would improve dramatically.
The comment comes after a month of political tensions between Trump and Trudeau. Earlier in December, Trudeau visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago to discuss trade issues. The meeting aimed to avoid a North American trade war, during which Trump threatened to escalate with a 25% tariff on Canadian imports.
US President-elect Donald Trump fires 34 posts over an hour on Christmas
Watch video: https://t.co/OpqjQxXhurhttps://t.co/OpqjQxXhur
— WION (@WIONews) December 26, 2024
Trump also highlighted his proposal of buying Greenland, extending holiday greetings to the people residing there and reiterating that the U.S. needed Greenland for reasons of national security. He said that Greenlanders want an American presence in the territory. This was the reiteration of a similar Trump proposal in 2019 when he tried to buy Greenland, which was sternly dismissed by the leadership of Greenland.
In response, the Danish Defense minister Troels Lund Poulsen spoke to a leading daily that that the country plans to spend a “double-digit billion amount” to make sure they have a strong presence at the Arctic.
Trump also criticized his political opponent Joe Biden’s recent decision to commute the sentences of 37 federal death-row inmates. Instead of holiday greetings, Trump wished upon the inmates to “go to hell.” In closing remarks, Trump bashed “radical Left lunatics,” accusing them of obstructing the judicial system, interfering in elections, and targeting patriotic citizens, especially himself.