After Saturday's attack on Venzuela, the US president did not rule out further military interventions against other countries in the region. Donald Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington from Florida, where he spent Christmas and New Year's Eve at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
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Why did Trump threaten Colombia?
What did Trump say about Mexico?
What actions does Trump plan to take against Venezuela?
What does Trump think about Greenland?
— Venezuela is very sick. Colombia is also very sick and is run by a man who likes to produce cocaine and sell it to the United States. But let me tell you, he won't be doing this for very long,” Trump said. When asked if he had in mind the military operation in Colombia, he replied that “it sounds good.”
The US president spoke in a similar tone about Mexico, which – as he claims – is ruled by drug cartels and with which he “must do something.”
— Mexico has to get a grip of itself because they (drugs) are flowing through Mexico and we will have to do something. We would like Mexico to do this. They are capable of it. But unfortunately, the cartels are very strong in Mexico, Trump said. He added that during each conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, he offered to send US troops to fight the cartels, but she was not willing to do so.
Donald Trump on the situation in Venezuela. “The country is in ruins”
Trump also said that after the overthrow of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the regime in Cuba “looks ready to fall” without the support of Caracas. — I don't know if they can bear it, but Kuba has no income now. They make all their profits from Venezuela, from Venezuelan oil. They receive nothing. Cuba is literally ready to collapse, the American leader said, arguing that American intervention would not be needed to bring down the regime in Havana.
Speaking about Venezuela, Trump repeated that the US currently controls the country and assured that Maduro's successor, Delcy Rodriguez, is “cooperating” with America. He also threatened that otherwise she would suffer a fate worse than Maduro's. When asked about the date of the elections in Venezuela and the democratization of the country, Trump emphasized that it was necessary to “rebuild” it first.
— (…) The country is in ruins. It was poorly managed. Oil is just flowing at a very low level (…) They should have more income, more oil, Trump said. When asked what he expects from the new authorities in Caracas, he replied that “total” access to oil and other resources, which will allow the US to rebuild the country.
US President on the annexation of Greenland. “America needs her”
Donald Trump, when asked about his desire to annex Greenland declared in March last year, replied that he did not want to talk about it, but repeated that America “really needs” Greenland for its national security and strategic interests. He emphasized that Russian and Chinese ships were circling around Greenland and Denmark was unable to ensure the safety of the island.
– I can tell you that in order to increase security in Greenland, (the Danes) imported another dog sled – mocked the US president. He added that the European Union actually needs the US to take control of the island and that the EU knows about it.
