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Trump latest: President-elect calls for NATO defence spend increase - and refuses to rule out military force over Panama and Greenland

Donald Trump held his second news conference since winning the US election this afternoon in Florida. He spoke on a range of subjects - from Ukraine and NATO, to the Panama Canal, hostages in Gaza and an ambition to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump makes remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
Image: Pic: Reuters
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What we learned from Trump news conference

Donald Trump gave only his second news conference since winning November's US presidential election earlier today.

Speaking at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, Mr Trump made a series of sweeping claims on what his policies could look like when he takes office on 20 January.

He said he believes NATO spending should be increased to 5% of GDP per member state, while he also declared US control of Greenland and the Panama Canal as vital to American national security.

The 78-year-old Republican also spoke of relations with Canada, as well as addressing his position on the Middle East and the war in Ukraine.

Recap what we learned in our article below:

That's all for our coverage

Thank you for following our live coverage on Donald Trump's second news conference since winning the US election.

The president-elect said he would not rule out the use of military force to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland and also floated the idea of having Canada join the US.

Trump also used his remarks to complain that Joe Biden was undermining his transition to power a day after the president moved to ban offshore energy drilling in most federal waters.

When it came to NATO, Trump said he "saved" the defence alliance and called for 5% defence spending by member nations.

You can scroll back through the blog below to read through the key points from the news conference.

Analysis: Trump warns 'all hell will break loose' - but what happens to Gaza if his threat fails?

By Alistair Bunkall, Middle East correspondent

Donald Trump's threat that "all hell will break loose" if the Gaza hostages aren't released by his inauguration on 20 January was a typically dramatic message.

It plays to his reputation of being unpredictable - a trait that can be quite effective here in the Middle East - and is, by my calculation, the third time he's used similar language since winning the election.

But Trump has given no indication what he has in mind if his threat doesn't work, and it's hard to see what his options are.

Read the full analysis here...

Explained: Could Trump actually buy Greenland?

Donald Trump has again stated his intention for the US to take control of Greenland - going as far as saying Denmark should "give" it up for the "free world" (see our 17.25 post).

"Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our nation," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post yesterday.

It's not the first time he's expressed an interest.

He first signalled this idea in 2019 during his first term in office but a bid to buy the island was rejected.

But the strategically-important and mineral-rich island is an autonomous territory of Denmark and the Danes have not shown much appetite to sell.

'Greenland's future up to us'

Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede, who has recently stepped up a push for independence from Denmark, says the island is not for sale and it is up to its people to decide their future. 

"While others, including Danes and Americans, are entitled to their opinions, we should not be caught up in the hysteria and let external pressures distract us from our path," he said today.

The island is a former colony of Denmark, but became a formal territory of the Nordic kingdom in 1953.

It is subject to the Danish constitution, meaning any change to its legal status needs a constitutional amendment.

In 2009, Greenland was granted self-governing autonomy, including the right to declare independence through a referendum.

But what if Greenland breaks from Denmark?

While most Greenlanders want independence, few see full independence as viable, given how their economy depends on EU-member Denmark.

One potential option could be to form a so-called "free association" pact with the US, similar to the status of Pacific island nations Micronesia, Palau and Marshall Islands.

Ulrik Pram Gad, an expert on Greenland at the Danish Institute for International Studies, said no Greenlander "wants to just switch to a new colonial master".

He finds it unlikely Greenland will vote for independence without ensuring the welfare of its population, though last week Mr Egede urged the population to break free from "the shackles of colonialism".

Why would Trump want Greenland?

Trump isn't the first US president to show an interest in the island.

While Greenland was still a colony, then-President Harry Truman tried to buy Greenland as a strategic asset during the Cold War for $100m in gold, which in today's money would be about $1.3bn.

Part of the interest is rooted in the US military and its ballistic missile early-warning system, since the shortest route from Europe to North America runs through the Arctic island.

The US also maintains a permanent presence at the Pituffik air base in the northwest.

The island also boasts mineral, oil and natural gas wealth, but its economy is mostly reliant on fishing, which accounts for 95% of exports.

Who is Hussain Sajwani? The man behind Trump's $20bn announcement

Donald Trump opened his remarks today by announcing $20bn of new investment to build data centres across the US.

The man behind that figure is Hussain Sajwani, who was invited by Trump to say a few words himself at the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

"It's been amazing news for me and my family when he was elected in November," he said.

Mr Sajwani is the chairman and founder of Dubai-based DAMAC Properties, one of the top private developers in the United Arab Emirates.

His firm is known in Dubai for a development featuring a Trump-branded golf club surrounded by villas and flats, making it the only one of its kind in the Middle East.

The billionaire's ties to Trump stretch back to his first term in office, when Mr Sajwani said his presidency helped to increase the profile of his company.

"Being his partner, we get a benefit," he said in 2017.

Former ambassador picks out two Trump observations from 'wild ride' press conference

We've been speaking to the UK's former ambassador to the US, Lord Darroch, who described Donald Trump's remarks at Mar-a-Lago just now as a "wild ride".

"What struck me was, first of all, we've been saying this is going to be Trump unleashed," he told our chief presenter Mark Austin, referring to the president-elect's second term.

"I think there was a lot of evidence about what that means."

Trump's "hair-raising" comments included refusing to rule out military force or economic coercion over his interest in controlling the Panama Canal and Greenland.

But Lord Darroch said he doesn't see this as a serious threat.

"You have to assume - or have to hope - when he talks about Panama, this is a way of putting pressure," he said.

Trump also highlighted Greenland, again insisting the US should own the land, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark. 

"Surely he can't seriously expect Denmark will sell Greenland, can he? What are his advisors telling him? Extraordinary stuff," Lord Darroch said.

It was, nonetheless, a "dominant" performance from Trump, who acted as if he is "already president" and gave "forthright" answers, Lord Darroch added.

"This is a man who believes this is his moment," Lord Darroch said. 

"He intends to deliver."

What are the key takeaways from Trump's news conference?

Donald Trump touched on a number of topics in his news conference.

Here are the key takeaways: 

  • Donald Trump said he "saved NATO" and called for 5% defence spending by member nations;
  • He did not rule out the use of military force to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, as he declared US control of both to be vital to American national security;
  • The president-elect said "all hell will break out in Middle East" if hostages aren't returned by time he returns to office on 20 January;
  • He argued Canada should be the 51st US state;
  • Trump also argued Denmark should give up Greenland "for the free world";
  • After Joe Biden yesterday moved to ban new offshore oil and gas development along most US coastlines, Trump repeated one of his favourite phrases from the campaign trail - "drill, baby, drill". He vowed to boost domestic energy production, and said he will undo it;
  • Trump announced a $20bn investment for data centres in the US by an Emirati company led by billionaire Hussain Sajwani , a close business partner of the Trump family.
Trump news conference comes to an end

Donald Trump has now finished his news conference.

He reiterated at the end that "all hell will break loose" if a deal to get the hostages out of Gaza is not done by the time he's in office.

'Canada should be a US state'

Trump is once again arguing Canada should be the 51st US state.

He's also again mocked outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau - who announced yesterday he will resign - by calling him "governor", rather than prime minister.

"They should be a state, that's what I told Trudeau when he came down," he says.

He argues the US and Canada combined would amount to an "economic force" that will "really be something".

"We're spending billions to protect Canada," he says, adding Canada has the US military "at their disposal".

The US doesn't need Canada's cars, dairy or lumber, he said - so "why are we spending billions?"

Justice department started 'fake witch hunt'

Today, district judge Aileen Cannon, who is the federal judge overseeing Donald Trump's now-dismissed case related to classified documents in Florida, temporarily blocked the Justice Department from releasing special counsel Jack Smith's final report until further court proceedings.

Responding to this, Trump says the department started a "fake witch hunt".

"People are destroyed because of what they did," he says.

"But we got to be president."