JOHNSON – What countries will Donald Trump decide to invade next?

Part One of a two-part series, looking at what the Venezuelan attack means when looking at the other countries and territories Trump has been eyeing up. Today, Greenland and Columbia.

LET’S START WITH the recent attack on Venezuela and the ouster and arrest of Nicholas Maduro.

The signs had been there for months that something was going to happen there, but it was still a shock when it actually happened.

It isn’t new that an American President has decided to kidnap a Central/Southern American leader and put them on trial … Panama’s Noriega in 1989 comes to mind, and he was convicted in America to 40 years in prison for drug trafficking, racketeering and money laundering.  I expect Nicholas Maduro will get the same treatment.

Maduro was a widely despised autocrat, who ran sham elections or just outright ignored election results.  The bombing and spiriting away of Maduro may be a dramatic start to the new year but the bigger question … what if this really was just the start?

What if 2026 will be full of moments where the U.S. military under Trump’s bidding, invades other territories?  Which countries should shrug the threats off with nervous laughter and which should be legitimately terrified?

Let’s talk about Greenland, Columbia, Mexico, Cuba and Iran. All of whom he is ramping up talk about of military invasion.  He seems to be on a roll, and is obviously taking advantage of his success from Venezuela and using the momentum for more things he might like to do.

Greenland is hot with what he has been pushing for almost a year, and the rhetoric kicked up this week.  The reality is, it’s not going to happen for a number of reasons; it’s a territory of a NATO ally, which would put America at odds with all NATO members … and there are mumblings that should Trump actually move assets near Greenland in preparation of assault, the block might drop sanctions on America, cancel trade talks and even promise military retaliation.

France already offered to land troops on Greenland’s shores as a shield, and if Trump steps up … France’s offer might be taken up, and other NATO allies might join in on a visit.

Another critical reason why Trump won’t, is because he doesn’t need to, and he knows that.  In 1951 the ‘The Defense of Greenland Agreement’ treaty was signed between Washington, Copenhagen and the capital Nook in Greenland, which provided America cart blanch ability to build bases, house troops, and launch aircraft and operate ships around Greenland.

During the cold war, more than 10,000 U.S. troops were stationed there. Today, numbers have dropped to 200 at one single base.  This agreement still exists, so America does not even need to invade Greenland to move troops or equipment there to satisfy ‘national security concern’ issue, they don’t even have to ask permission, they just need to ‘inform’ Copenhagen.

Politically, why invade a region they don’t need to, to annex a land and population, when to do so would require forcibly removing a democratically elected legislature … when neither Jens-Fredrik Neilsen, Greenland’s Prime Minister or anyone in its parliament would ever roll over to American rule, so would require arresting and deporting.

This means America would end up controlling a NATO country-run territory, beginning a period of world-wide anti-Americanism.  Domestically, Congress and the Senate disagree with annexing Greenland, and Trump’s own base is against the idea.

So, this is noise only, it just ain’t going to happen.

—–

Moving on….

Columbia is also on the Trump block. There’s something people need to realize, yes … Columbia has a decades long reputation of drug export to the US.  Reality is in recent years, the Columbian government has been fervently anti-drug, and its leader today; President Gustavo Petro, is the legitimate democratically elected leader … from an election that international observers all agree was free of any corruption issues.

He and the Columbian government are not a Maduro like autocratic drug kingpin.  In fact, if you go back, Columbia has been an ally of America for years.  When much of Latin America shifted to left-wing anti-Americanism in the early 21st century, Bogata remained a staunch supporter of Washington, even backing the Iraq war.

Since 2022, Columbia is seen as a major non-NATO ally, a designation it shares with countries like Australia, Israel, Brazil, and Egypt … you know, nations that are key to Washington’s global strategy.

But Trump’s rhetoric, which very much ignores all that and relies on his base thinking that Columbia is a drug haven, also suggests he is open to overthrowing the Colombian president, “Sounds good to me,” he said.

Petro has since called on U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and the U.S. responded by revoking his visa. Recently Trump told reporters, “Columbia is producing a lot of drugs. They have cocaine factories. They make cocaine, as you know, and they sell it right into the United States … so, Petro better wise up, or he’ll be next. He’ll be next. I hope he’s listening. He’s going to be next.” End quote.

To repeat: Petro is not a Maduro-like autocratic drug kingpin.  This is proven. Trump is lying.

There’s no indication that Petro wants to make life easier for drug cartels. While Maduro’s support of insurgent movements and drug trafficking gangs have been noted for years now, Trump’s suggestion that Petro is involved in the drug trade just isn’t backed up by evidence.

Nor is Petro an autocrat vainly clinging to power; his one and only term is set to expire in August, and it’s unlikely he’ll try to remain in power. Even if he wanted to, he lacks the necessary support in the country to pull off a coup.

Given Trump’s nature, it’s hardly a shocker that he might want to target a leader who started a rhetorical fight with him anyway, as that’s what he does. While most of those he threatens are longtime U.S. foes like Iran and Cuba, Colombia has been a U.S. ally for decades.

The idea of a Columbian invasion lacks the vague cloak of legality surrounding the capture of Maduro. Even America’s closest allies would feel compelled to speak out.

At the end of the day, it’s a similar situation to Greenland.

These two are the most discussed in the media at the moment, but Trump seems to be on a roll, so there are more places his expansionist approach threatens.

Come back for Part 2 of the series on Saturday, when Mexico, Iran, Cuba and a possible revisit of Venezuela will be discussed.

David Johnson is a Kamloops resident, community volunteer and self described maven of all things Canadian.