Numerous politicians outside of the United States have criticized Donald Trump's annexation comments. Many have also compared Trump's comments about Canada, Greenland and Panama to
Russian President Vladimir Putin's comments about
Ukraine and
CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping's comments about
Taiwan. Experts believe that the U.S. president possesses an imperialist outlook, to the extent that former U.S. ambassador to
NATO Ivo Daalder stated that under Trump's administration, the rules-based order has effectively ceased to exist. According to a joint
Washington Post-
ABC News-
Ipsos poll that was conducted in April 2025, 68% of Americans (including 81% of Democrats, 58% of Republicans and 65% of Independents) think that Trump is serious about trying to take control of Greenland. In the same poll, 53% of Americans (including 75% of Democrats, 35% of Republicans, and 49% of Independents) think that Trump is serious about trying to take control of Canada. The poll also showed the percentage of Americans who would support taking control of Canada and Greenland. 22% of Americans supported annexing Greenland and 76% of Americans opposed it, while 13% of Americans supported annexing Canada while 86% of Americans opposed it.
Canadian reaction , May 6, 2025 Donald Trump's proposals have been received negatively across Canada, with it being condemned by all major federal political parties and leaders as well as causing an increasing strain on
Canada–United States relations. Polling conducted on Trump's proposals have received extremely little support among Canadians to the proposal of Canada becoming the 51st State with an
Angus Reid poll showing that 90% of Canadians are against being annexed by the United States. In a poll that was conducted on April 23, 2025, 82% of Canadians said that they would rather become a
dominion of the
British Empire again, than be annexed by the United States. Polls also showed a sharp rise in
Canadian nationalism, especially among
Quebecers. An assessment by the
University of Toronto showed that even if the United States successfully invaded Canada, carried out
strategic bombing of
Ottawa, and destroyed the
Canadian Army, the
United States Armed Forces would still have to deal with decades of protests from Ontario and Quebec. Aisha Ahmad, a historian who has studied insurgencies for more than 20 years said, "Even if only 1% of Canada's population waged a war of resistance against American forces, that would be 400,000 insurgents. That's about 10 times the number of
Taliban fighters who outlasted the American-led coalition in Afghanistan." Conservative Leader
Pierre Poilievre stated that Canada would never become the 51st state of America. On February 7, 2025, Poilievre further stated that Trump's 51st state comments are not a joke saying: "I've always taken it seriously, and I've always clearly and consistently condemned it. Canada will never be the 51st state. We will be a strong, independent, sovereign country when I'm prime minister." After winning the
2025 Canadian federal election, Canadian Prime Minister
Mark Carney told the
BBC during an interview, "He has territorial views. That's never, ever going to happen, with respect to Canada — frankly I don't think it's ever going to happen with respect to any other, whether it's Panama or Greenland or elsewhere."
Danish and Greenlandic reactions at
NATO summit in The Hague, June 25, 2025 The Danish government has repeatedly stated that "Greenland is not for sale". In a poll published by
Berlingske and
Sermitsiaq, 85% of Greenlanders have stated that they are against being annexed by the United States. The poll also showed that 45% of Greenlanders view Trump as a threat while 43% view Trump as an "opportunity" and 13% are undecided. Trump's interest in Greenland has bolstered the cause of the
Greenlandic independence from Denmark. announcing "We choose Denmark" at a January 2026 press conference with
Mette Frederiksen in response to
Trump's threats to invade or annex the country Danish Prime Minister
Mette Frederiksen said that "Europe must stand together" against Trump. Kristian Søby Kristensen, a defense researcher from the University of Copenhagen said that Denmark could not defend Greenland from America on its own and that the
Danish Armed Forces are neither equipped nor trained to stop an American invasion from happening. Furthermore, Kristensen stated that Denmark's military stocks have been significantly depleted by
arms transfers to Ukraine. On February 4, 2025, Greenland introduced a bill which would ban "foreign political donations". The bill is viewed as a way to safeguard the
2025 Greenlandic general election which was held on March 11, 2025.
Third-party reactions Most European politicians have voiced their support for Denmark. French foreign minister
Jean-Noël Barrot said that if Denmark were to request "solidarity" from EU countries, "France will be there." He also stated that France would not tolerate American military intervention. France also debated with Denmark about the possibility of the deployment of French troops to Greenland. On February 4, 2025, NATO secretary general
Mark Rutte sat down with EU leaders for lunch and suggested the deployment of NATO soldiers to Greenland in order to "defang the threat from the U.S. president". During a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz stated that, "Borders must not be moved by force. To whom it may concern." Russian press secretary
Dmitry Peskov said, "We are watching very closely this rather dramatic development of the situation, so far, thank God, at the level of statements." In contrast, Italian Prime Minister
Giorgia Meloni was rather skeptical regarding Trump's statements, stating that she did not believe President-elect Trump has a plan to purchase Greenland, Panama or Canada or acquire them through military force, suggesting that instead it was merely a "message" to other "
Great Powers" (such as China).
Danish counter-proposal to purchase California In response to Trump's statements during his second term, Danish residents issued a satirical petition for Denmark to purchase
California from the United States for $1 trillion. The petition parodied Trump's rhetoric as president, bearing the slogan "Måke Califørnia Great Ægain" and vowing to "bring
hygge to Hollywood, bike lanes to
Beverly Hills and organic
smørrebrød to every street corner." It also stated that California's name would be changed to "New Denmark". The petition surpassed 200,000 signatures in less than 12 hours.
Mexican reaction Mexican President
Claudia Sheinbaum responded to Trump's annexation suggestion by saying, "Mexico is a free, sovereign, and independent country, and we will always defend that." Sheinbaum responded to Trump renaming the gulf by saying that
Google Maps should present the map of América Mexicana over the United States. She also explained that
territorial waters only extend up to 12 nautical miles, and that the renaming could not apply to the entire gulf.
Venezuelan reaction On January 13, 2025, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro called for a military campaign to "liberate"
Puerto Rico with the aid of Brazilian, Cuban, and Nicaraguan troops. Maduro said in a speech during a rally, "Just as in the north they have an agenda of colonization, we have an agenda of liberation. And the agenda was written for us by
Simon Bolivar, the freedom of Puerto Rico is pending and we will achieve it, with the troops of Brazil. We are preparing together with Cuba and Nicaragua and together with our older brothers in the world so that if one day we have to take up arms and defend the right to peace and sovereignty, we will fight in the armed struggle and win it again. We are not lukewarm leaders, we are the
Bolivarian Revolution of the 21st century. If it is by fair means, we will advance by fair means. If it is by foul means, we will also defeat them so that they respect us". On 18 August 2025, in response to the United States increasing the bounty on his head to $50 million USD, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced a
mass mobilization of the
Bolivarian Militia of Venezuela. 4.5 million men and women were reported to have been mobilized. On 3 January 2026, the United States launched
strikes on Venezuela, captured Maduro and his wife
Cilia Flores, and flew them to
New York City to face drugs and weapons charges. Trump said the US would "run" Venezuela until there was a transition of power. Trump made it clear that access to Venezuelan oil was a major reason for the attack.
Panamanian reaction with Panamanian President
José Raúl Mulino in
Panama City, February 2, 2025 Panamanians say the Panama Canal is part of their national identity. Paula Rodriguez, a cafe owner told the Guardian, "Panamanian people – we rise, you know, we defend and we unite, after all, to defend our country and our people. Because it's not about the canal, it's about our integrity. If you can see in the social media, people are angry, angry, and writing: 'No way – this is not gonna happen again." Numerous anti-American protests have taken place across Panama since December 24, 2024. On January 28, 2025, a coalition of civil society groups released a joint statement which condemned "any foreign political intervention". Political scientist Osvaldo Jordán told
CNN on February 21, 2024, that Panama was "already in a situation of instability... then President Trump jumps onto the scene." In a poll that was conducted by DoxaPanamá in April 2025 asking "who would you want managing the Panama Canal?" 81% of Panamanians said the
Panama Canal Authority, 16% said the US Government, and 3% said that they don't know. Panamanian President
José Raúl Mulino rejected Trump's claims about "retaking" the Panama Canal. He further stated, "Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area belong to Panama and will continue to be. The sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable." On March 19, 2025, Mulino said that Panama "will not give in to Trump's canal threats." Saúl Méndez of
SUNTRACS said in an interview, "Trump tries to erase with a single whim, what was conquered here with the life of patriots, but today more than ever the defense of sovereignty is intact in the Panamanian people." Panama's UN Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba stated that the United States should refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
Panama City mayor Mayer Mizrachi posted on his X account that Panama would never become the 51st state. After Pete Hegseth's comment on April 9, 2025, about the idea to station American soldiers in military bases and airfields in Panama, Panama's Defense Minister
Frank Abrego said during a joint press conference in Panama City, "Panama has made it clear through President Mulino that we cannot accept military bases or defensive installations." On June 12, 2025, Panamanian political analyst José Stouten said that, "Trump's impact has been devastating for the internal situation. The Trump effect has deepened the delegitimization of the government."
Reactions to the joint security deal After the signing of the joint security deal with the United States, many Panamanian politicians and citizens have criticized the government. On April 10, 2025, several groups of workers protested while chanting "No bases!". More protests were planned for April 12, 2025. Panamanian trade union leader Saul Mendez told
Agence France-Presse about the joint security deal, "What we have here is a setback to national sovereignty. What the Panamanian government has done is an act of treason. They are traitors and must be tried." On April 12, 2025, protesters took to the streets of Panama City, shouting that President José Raúl Mulino is a traitor to the country for signing the security deal with the United States. Saul Mendez, a trade union leader and one of the protest organizers said about the protests, "Both Trump, Rubio and now Pete Hegseth have indicated that they are going to take the canal, and obviously the Panamanian people cannot accept this. And that is why we, a handful of patriots, are on the street today, rejecting the presence of the 'secretary of war' in Panama and repudiating Mulino, the traitor, who behind the people's back is giving away our sovereignty and our self-determination." On April 13, 2025, The United People's Alliance of Panama issued a statement which reads, "The country is being handed over with the four military bases that have been talked about. We cannot accept that. In this country, several generations of Panamanians fought for the sovereignty of the country, and today the dictator [Mulino] wants to hand over the sovereignty of this country and that cannot go unnoticed. We request international solidarity from peoples around the world and progressive, democratic, and revolutionary governments. We call for struggle and popular mobilization in defense of our national sovereignty. We reject Pete Hegseth's presence in Panama." On April 28, 2025,
SUNTRACS and several Panama teachers' unions announced the beginning of an "indefinite strike" and began protesting in the streets. On April 29, 2025, hundreds of people took to the streets of Panama City to protest the joint security deal. Protesters claimed that the deal undermines the sovereignty of Panama. On April 30, 2025, thousands of people took to the streets of Panama City in order to protest the joint security deal. Protest organizer Camila Aybar told the media, "We protest because they have stomped over the sovereignty of entire generations who have fought. They dumped our sovereignty to the trash by signing a memorandum of understanding that allows foreign military presence in Panama. Down with the memorandum! Down with the memorandum! Sovereign Panama!" On May 6, 2025, thousands of students and workers protested on the streets of Panama City.
France 24 reported that this protest was, "the biggest in three weeks of strikes and protests." Tony Ruiz, one of the striking students, told reporters, "We feel like our president is acting against the wishes of many Panamanians and in very sensitive affairs. He signs an agreement behind our back that compromises our sovereignty, our neutrality with the world." On May 8, 2025, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino announced that despite the protests, he would not renegotiate the security agreement that his government had made with the United States. On May 11, 2025, The National Coordinator of Indigenous Peoples of Panama announced that they were preparing for street closures as a protest measure. On May 14, 2025, the protests entered their third week. On May 23, 2025, thousands of people took to the streets across Panama in order to protest the arrest of two labor union leaders who were both vocal opponents of Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino's government. On June 4, 2025, protesters and police officers clashed in Arimae,
Darién Province causing casualties on both sides.
Legal actions On April 11, 2025, local lawyer Neftalí Jaén filed a legal case with the
National Assembly of Panama against Panamanian president José Raúl Mulino. Jaén claims that Mulino violated Article 425 of the Penal Code of Panama which criminalizes "crimes against the
international personality of the state". Jaén also stated that under Article 425, the signing of agreements, conventions, or treaties that affect Panama's sovereignty could carry penalties of 20 to 30 years in prison if the act is committed by a public servant. On April 16, 2025, lawyer Juan Ramón Sevillano, on behalf of the Sal de las Redes civic coalition, filed a case to Panama's Supreme Court. Sevillano's case states that the joint security deal that the Mulino government signed was "unconstitutional" due to the joint security deal violating 6 articles of Panama's constitution as well as violating the
Torrijos–Carter Treaties. In a document submitted to the supreme court, Sevillano also accused the security deal of being signed under pressure from the United States, saying that the "memorandum is a response to the pressures and threats we have been subjected to by the American nation, which, taking advantage of its greater military and economic power, has imposed its will in this agreement."
Third party reactions Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman
Lin Jian condemned the United States' "irresponsible remarks on the Panama Canal issue, and intentionally distorted, attacked and mischaracterized relevant cooperation". On April 9, 2025, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian "firmly rejected" the remarks made by Hegseth stating, "The malicious attack against China and attempt to smear and undermine
China-Panama cooperation once again revealed the bullying and hegemonic nature of the U.S. The U.S. should take a hard look in the mirror and reflect on who is truly threatening the sovereignty, security, and development of other countries." On April 10, 2025, the Chinese Embassy in Panama accused the Trump administration of blackmailing Panama with "repeated threats of seizing the Panama Canal" in order to diminish Chinese influence in the region. == United States reaction ==