Donald Trump Photo: Nic Antaya / Getty images
US President-elect Donald Trump held a large-scale press conference at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, a day after officially certifying his victory in the 2024 presidential election. His statements, which caused a wide resonance, came two weeks before the inauguration, which will mark the beginning of Trump’s second term, TimeUkraineIsrael reports.
Threats and geopolitical ambitions
Trump said that “hell will come to earth” in the Middle East if the hostages in the Gaza Strip are not released by the day of his inauguration. He also hinted at the possible use of military force to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, calling these territories important to US economic security.
On Greenland, Trump threatened Denmark with tariffs if it continued to refuse his offer to buy the island. “We need these territories,” the president-elect said, commenting on his strategy.
Trump also suggested renaming the Gulf of Mexico the “American Gulf”, calling it “a majestic name that better reflects the spirit of the region”.
The war in Ukraine and relations with Putin
In his speech, Trump acknowledged that Russia’s war against Ukraine is more complex than before and could escalate. Although he promised to end the conflict in 24 hours, Trump blamed the current situation on his predecessor, Joe Biden.
At the same time, he noted that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin could take place only after the inauguration: “Every day of war means the death of many young people. I hate it, but the time and place of the meeting are yet to be agreed.”
Canadian ambitions and NATO
Trump reiterated his interest in integrating Canada as a US state, threatening economic sanctions. He also proposed to increase NATO member states’ defence spending to 5% of GDP, stressing that the current level of 2% is insufficient.
Promises and plans
When asked about the economic outlook, Trump acknowledged that lowering prices, as he promised during the election campaign, would be “very challenging”, but said he planned to implement “dramatic spending cuts”.
He also promised to lift the ban on oil and gas production in parts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, calling these restrictions “economically inexpedient”.
The conference was held under heightened security following the official certification of the election results by Congress. This procedure, which is usually formal, had particular symbolism due to the storming of the Capitol on 6 January 2021, when Trump supporters tried to prevent the transfer of power to Joe Biden.
