Donald Trump’s bellicose approach took an unexpected turn this Monday. After weeks marked by the largest naval deployment in U.S. history in the Caribbean, with the dispatch of the so-called “world’s largest aircraft carrier” to pressure Venezuela and its allies, the U.S. president surprised everyone by now focusing his rhetoric on Greenland and the creation of a new war fleet dubbed the «Trump Class».
During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, his residence and private club in Florida, Trump announced that his administration will launch an ambitious program to build a “golden fleet” of 20 to 25 battleships, which, he assured, will be the largest ever built in history.
The United States wants Greenland for «national security», Trump says
In an announcement that rekindles diplomatic tensions, Trump confirmed the appointment of his special envoy to Greenland and reiterated that the territory is strategic for the United States.
We need it for national security. «We must have it», the president declared, reviving an idea that had been abandoned since the start of his presidency but that now once again lies at the heart of his foreign policy.
Venezuela remains in the spotlight: A direct warning to Nicolás Maduro
Although Greenland grabbed the spotlight, Venezuela wasn’t left out of the conversation. When questioned about his government’s objectives in South America, Trump issued a direct warning to President Nicolás Maduro.
«We have a massive armada assembled, by far the largest we’ve ever had in South America. If Maduro wants to play rough, it’ll be the last thing he ever does», he declared.
Hours earlier, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had been even more forceful on Fox News, stating that Maduro «has to be out», although Trump avoided explicitly repeating that objective.
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Naval operations and the U.S. antidrug offensive
With the presence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Trump asserted that the bombings of vessels on the high seas have reduced maritime drug trafficking into the United States by 92%.
He also announced that ground attacks against drug traffickers will soon begin, clarifying that they will not only be in Venezuela but «anywhere the drugs come from».
Trump also confirmed that the United States will keep the oil seized off the Venezuelan coast and that the Coast Guard is still pursuing a third oil tanker linked to the Caracas government.
Tensions with Colombia: Trump lashes out at Gustavo Petro
The U.S. president also launched harsh criticism against Colombian President Gustavo Petro after the latter questioned the confiscation of Venezuelan oil.
«He is not a friend of the United States. He’s a very bad man«, Trump said, accusing him of allowing cocaine production and noting that Washington knows the location of at least three major drug factories in Colombia.
“Trump-Class Battleships”: The new U.S. military project
Trump emphasized that the new warships will be designed in collaboration with the U.S. Navy, ensuring they will be a key tool for maintaining American military supremacy, as well as revitalizing the shipbuilding industry and creating thousands of jobs.
«These will be the largest and most attractive battleships in the world», he said, while Navy Secretary John Cartwright Phelan endorsed the project, noting that it will mark a turning point in the country’s naval capabilities.
