Summary
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s newly appointed Secretary of Defense, suggested military action could be on the table for securing U.S. control over the Panama Canal and Greenland.
In a Fox News interview, he warned that the U.S. would ensure “freedom of navigation” in Panama, while vaguely addressing Trump’s strategic interest in Greenland.
His confirmation hearing earlier this month raised concerns when he refused to rule out military action.
Critics worry his stance signals Trump’s willingness to provoke conflicts with allies over geopolitical ambitions.
No country could realistically go toe-to-toe with the US military:
China might have a larger standing army, but they don’t have the logistics to move them globally.
Russia is busy getting its ass kicked in Ukraine, and even if it weren’t its invasion of Ukraine has shown they’re nowhere near-peer to the US.
A combined NATO + EU + UK might give it a good go, but not all of them (Hungary and Turkiye obviously) would want to stand against Putin’s agenda like that. Also, trying to oppose the US and support Ukraine would definitely strain those countries as well.
I think the only unknown variable is, if the US suddenly went all “conquering imperialism” how much civilian unrest would occur? Unlike the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions there wouldn’t be any high-minded moral veneer to hide behind, so would Americans put up with it?
I am much less optimistic about that answer than I was four months ago.