President-elect Donald Trump has once again sparked a media firestorm with his latest round of off-the-cuff remarks, this time suggesting that the U.S. should recover the Panama Canal, purchase Greenland and, most provocatively, incorporate Canada as the 51st state.
Predictably, critics are in full-throated outrage, decrying these remarks as a revival of 19th-century “Manifest Destiny” dreams of territorial conquest. Yet such reactions reveal a profound misunderstanding of Trump’s political style and the realities of American society. Critics need to stop taking these comments so seriously.
Trump’s remarks are not policy proposals; they’re trolling. Ever since his first campaign, Trump has wielded the absurd to provoke and dominate the media cycle. Suggesting he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue or musing about Greenland infuriates critics, entertains his base and shifts attention away from his vulnerabilities. This latest round of territorial musings is vintage Trump — provocative, headline-grabbing and unserious.
The outrage triggered by these comments reflects a misreading of today’s political landscape. Unlike 19th-century America, there is no cultural, political or social movement supporting territorial conquest. America’s population is aging, not surging. Cultural superiority has given way to pluralistic debates over national identity, and many Americans question even existing global commitments. Trump’s presidency has emphasized retrenchment over expansion, with his “America First” mantra signaling a sharp break from the interventionist consensus of the post-World War II era.
Take Greenland. Trump’s 2019 suggestion to buy the Arctic island made headlines, but the strategic rationale behind U.S. interest in Greenland isn’t new. The island’s location and resources have long made it a geopolitical asset in American eyes, but Denmark’s refusal to sell underscored the absurdity of the proposition. Similarly, annexing Canada is so outlandish it borders on satire. Canadians fiercely value their sovereignty, and Americans — Trump’s base included — are far more concerned with immigration and border security than annexation.
What’s remarkable is how Trump’s critics miss the joke. By framing his remarks as a revival of Manifest Destiny, they misunderstand his intentions and reinforce the dynamics of Trumpian politics. His rhetoric reflects insecurities within the political and media establishment more than any genuine imperial ambition. Trump thrives on this dynamic, turning outrage into fuel for his political brand.
The real threats to American stability — polarization, inequality and eroding democratic norms — receive far less attention than Trump’s provocations. This obsession feeds into his hands, creating a cycle of performative outrage that bolsters his political brand while distracting from substantive issues.
Trump is not James Monroe reincarnate. His remarks about the Panama Canal, Greenland and Canada are theater, not policy. Territorial expansion in the 21st century is absurd, constrained by international law, prohibitive costs and a lack of political will. Even if such ideas were remotely viable, the political and cultural conditions that underpinned Manifest Destiny no longer exist.
In the 19th century, Manifest Destiny was driven by ideological, economic and demographic forces: a growing population, belief in cultural superiority and economic opportunity. These conditions propelled the U.S. to expand westward and acquire territories. None of these drivers are present in modern America, where retrenchment and skepticism of global commitments dominate public sentiment.
It’s time to stop treating Trump’s comments about Greenland or Canada as serious policy signals. They’re a joke, and the outrage they provoke is equally ridiculous. If critics want to challenge him, they need to focus on substantive issues and stop playing his game.
The true challenge lies in addressing the real threats facing America — threats that Trump’s critics too often overlook in their eagerness to react. It’s time for a reality check: Trump is not manifesting destiny. He’s mastering the media, and the only way to counter him is to stop playing his game.
Andrew Latham is a professor of international relations at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minn., a senior fellow at the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, and a non-resident fellow at Defense Priorities in Washington, D.C.
