Trump’s bold threats: From ’taking back’ Panama to making Canada 51st US State, imposing tariffs for ’illegal aliens’

US President-elect Donald Trump is all set to take charge in White House for a second non-consecutive term in January 2025. However, the Republican during the 2024 presidential campaign, made more than 100 threats to investigate, prosecute, imprison or otherwise punish his perceived enemies, including political opponents and private citizens.

Analysts have warned that in case Donald Trump administration doesn’t resort to criminal investigations of their ‘enemies’, there is a possibility of politically-motivated IRS audits and firings of government employees.

Within US, some of the Donald Trump’s allies, have loudly pushed for prosecutions.

President-elect Donald Trump in a television interview previewed a sweeping agenda for his first days in office, outlining how his administration will prioritize deporting migrants with criminal records, vowing to pursue pardons for January 6 defendants on his first day, and raising the possibility that former Rep. Liz Cheney and other political opponents could face jail time.

Take a look at threats made by Donald Trump till now

Threats to buy Greenland

First it was Canada, then the Panama Canal. Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland. The president-elect is renewing unsuccessful calls he made during his first term for the US to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding to the list of allied countries with which he’s picking fights even before taking office on January 20.

In a Sunday announcement naming his ambassador to Denmark, Trump wrote that, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”

Threat to Canada

Donald Trump been suggesting that Canada become the 51st US state and referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor” of the “Great State of Canada.”

Threat to Panama

Donald Trump accused Panama of charging excessively for letting US ships use the Panama Canal, the artificial waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean.

In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump threatened a US takeover of the canal if Panama did not comply: “Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way… This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop.”

Threat to H-1B Visa Holders / Aspirants

International college graduates pursuing H-1B visas and workers seeking employment-based green cards can expect the process to be more bureaucratic, more delayed, with more requirements imposed, analysts have suggested.

Threat to Ukraine

Donald Trump, known for his support of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has sharply criticised Joe Biden’s recent decision to allow Ukrainian forces to use American long-range weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory. Calling Biden’s move “stupid,” Trump suggested he might reverse the policy once he takes office.

As Trump prepares for his presidency, he holds considerable influence over how Ukraine can utilise its US-provided arsenal, a critical leverage point in his campaign promise to swiftly end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Threats to Immigrants

Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, including mass deportations, faces challenges as enforcement units are understaffed. Priorities will focus on criminals and court-ordered removals, echoing Biden’s public safety and border crosser deportation policies.

Threat to cut off business ties

Trump is determined to not do business with countries that refuse to take back migrants. “I’ll get them into every country, or we won’t do business with those countries,” Trump said in an interview with Time magazine.

“I want them out, and the countries have got to take them back, and if they don’t take them back, we won’t do business with those countries, and we will tariff those countries very substantially,” he added.

Threats of Tariffs

Donald Trump has conveyed his intention to impose reciprocal tariffs in retaliation for the high tariff imposed by India on import of certain American products.

“Reciprocal. If they tax us, we tax them the same amount. They tax us. We tax them. And they tax us. Almost in all cases, they’re taxing us, and we haven’t been taxing them,” Trump said.

In late November 2024, Donald Trump pledged to impose a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico, citing drug trafficking and “Illegal Aliens,” as well as a 10% tariff on Chinese goods by February 20.