Jeffries positions Democrats against Trump's expansionism
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks in the House chamber on Jan. 3, 2025. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday signaled that Democrats can be expected to form ranks against President-elect Trump's vision of a new U.S. imperialism.
Why it matters: Should Trump's musings morph into a serious push to expand the nation's borders, opposition from Democrats could make it difficult to get the kind of congressional approval he would need.
- Trump on Tuesday declined to rule out using military force to seize the Panama Canal and Greenland — an autonomous territory of Denmark — while also proposing the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the "Gulf of America."
- The leaders of Denmark, Greenland and Panama have pushed back forcefully against the idea of willingly giving up territory to the U.S.
Driving the news: "House Democrats believe that we are not sent to Washington to invade Greenland, rename the Gulf of Mexico or seize the Panama Canal by force," Jeffries said at a press conference.
- Jeffries said Washington should "focus on the issues that matter to the American people: Housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, insurance costs are too high, utility costs are too high."
- Asked if he would be opposed to purchasing Greenland, Jeffries said: "What about the November presidential election had anything to do with invading Greenland or seizing it by force? I'm confused by the obsession around these comments."
The other side: The ideas appear to be gathering steam with Trump's loyalists in the Republican Party.
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Tuesday — just after Trump's press conference — that she plans to introduce legislation to officially rename the Gulf of Mexico.
Zoom in: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also appeared dismissive of Trump's expansionist ideas in a Senate floor speech on Wednesday.
- "Donald Trump throws out a lot of strange and rather random ideas on a regular ideas," Schumer said, arguing that renaming the Gulf of Mexico "isn't going to help people save money at the grocery store."
- Schumer said Democrats would work with Trump on the proposal "only if" he works with them on lowering costs.
Yes, but: Not every Democrat is rejecting Trump's ideas out of hand.
- Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said in a Fox News interview on Wednesday that he would "never support taking [Greenland] by force," but that there could be a "responsible conversation" about buying it.
- Fetterman compared the potentially acquisition to the Louisiana Purchase, saying he is "open to having all kinds of conversations."
