How Ludicrous is Trump’s Threat to Send Troops into Panama?

 

The following link is to an article of mine posted by Jacobin yesterday:

https://jacobin.com/2025/01/trump-latin-america-china-trade

Trump's threats to take over the Panama Canal, convert Canada into the 51st state, and purchase Greenland may not be as ludicrous as they seemed. The proposals, albeit unachievable, lay the groundwork for a more "rational" strategy of targeting China (not so much Russia) and singling out real adversaries (as opposed to Canada and Panama), which include Cuba and Venezuela, with Bolivia not far behind. 

The main thesis in the article is that the “intelligent” members of Trump’s administration, namely the neo-cons and other right-wingers (Marco Rubio, for example) will end up dictating U.S. foreign policy. But there is another factor, namely, that as a right-wing populist Trump is playing to his base. His threats to send troops into Panama and Greenland are bold moves. That’s what his base gets off on. Invading Cuba and Venezuela, or threatening to do so, is too old stuff to rile up his base. In addition, the possibility of getting concessions from Panama, Denmark and Canada over trade, shipping costs, etc. would also work to his political advantage. In that case he would boast of how he put to practice “The Art of the Deal” which would provide him with much-needed political capital.