Trump threatens 'economic force' to make Canada 51st US state 

Washington (Web Desk): Donald Trump made a series of provocative statements, including threats of economic pressure against neighbouring Canada and the possibility of military action to seize control of the Panama Canal.

He made these remarks in a press conference on Tuesday, a day after Congress officially recognized his victory in the 2020 presidential election.

While Trump had initially called the press conference to announce a $20 billion investment from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in US technology, the tone quickly shifted as he veered into a more campaign-style rant, revisiting many of his familiar talking points.

Trump began by boasting about the shift in global perceptions since his election win, claiming that foreign leaders had reached out to express gratitude for his victory.

As he laid out his plans for the coming years, the president-elect turned his attention to the ongoing transition of power, criticizing President Joe Biden and alleging that the White House was actively obstructing the process.

Despite having lost the election, Trump, 78, refused to concede and continued to reject the idea of cooperating with Biden's administration. He then shifted to foreign policy, where he proposed renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" and suggested imposing heavy tariffs on Canada unless it took immediate action to stop illegal immigration across the border.

In an unexpected turn, Trump also alluded to using military force to take control of both Greenland and the Panama Canal, territories he has shown interest in in the past. He criticized the decision made by former President Jimmy Carter to relinquish control of the Panama Canal, a move Trump argued had been a grave mistake.

When asked whether he would use military force against Canada, he clarified that it would not be military action but rather economic measures that would be employed.

The president-elect's statements were often a mixture of bombastic rhetoric and policy proposals, and at times it was unclear whether his words should be taken seriously.

He also voiced his concerns about the US-Canada border, calling it an "artificially drawn" line that he believed would benefit national security if it were eliminated.

Trump continued his criticism of Biden's foreign policy, particularly focusing on the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the ongoing situation in Ukraine, and America's involvement in Syria.

He repeated his assertion that during his own presidency, the US had been free of conflict, claiming,

"We defeated ISIS. We had no wars." He contrasted this with the current global climate, which he described as "burning" due to the tensions in Russia, Ukraine, and Israel.

Throughout the event, much of Trump’s attention remained on Biden, whom he accused of orchestrating the various legal challenges facing him, including the potential release of a federal report on his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

He also criticized Biden’s handling of inflation and pledged to reverse the executive order banning offshore drilling for oil and gas.

This press conference took place just after Congress had officially counted the electoral college votes and confirmed Trump as the next president.

Trump reiterated his promise to pardon many of those involved in the January 6th Capitol attack, though when asked about individuals who had assaulted law enforcement officers during the riot, he avoided the question and made the false claim that the Capitol crowd had been unarmed.