Trump refuses to rule out military force to seize Greenland and Panama | BBC News

The US President-elect Donald Trump has ramped up threats to seize control of Greenland and the Panama Canal, calling both critical to US national security.

Asked at a press conference if he would rule out using military or economic force in order to take over the autonomous Danish territory or the Panama Canal, he responded: "No, I can’t assure you on either of those two…. but I can say this, we need them for economic security.” Both Denmark and Panama have rejected any suggestion that they would voluntarily give up their territory.

Mr Trump also said he planned to use “economic force” when asked if he would attempt to annex Canada, calling the US-Canada border an "artificially drawn line".

During the news conference at Mr Trump’s Mar-a- Lago estate in Florida he also criticised environmental regulations, the US electoral system and suggested renaming the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America”.

Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Sarah Smith.

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