Jeffries positions Democrats against Trump's expansionism

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Axios

3 hours ago


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.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2025/01/08/jeffries-democrats-trump-greenland-panama-mexico

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Let Greenland be Greenland.

Solved.

[HUAJIAO]

2. Who in hell has the "authority" to rename the Gulf of Mexico???

[dchill]

5. Apparently, MAGATS.

[sheshe2]

3. Thank you Mr Jeffries...but...

This part right here is pretty frightening.

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."

We don't have any money to help the American people but we have enough to buy Greenland?! What the hell happened to Fetterman?

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Well Jeffries has no say over the Senate

THAT is a Schumer thing!

[BonnieJW]

7. I think the stroke had a bigger effect on him than anyone thought

[jvill]

9. Fetterman is becoming a concern...

[Biglinda 52]

15. Meds...

are out of whack

[Red Mountain]

6. Who is going to pay?

Maybe ELON!

Awesome......will he pay what it will cost to rename the Gulf of Mexico?

Maps, etc. Gotta get new stationary.

Is this efficient government yet? Asking for Elon.

[crud]

8. He will use his sharpie

[Evolve Dammit]

10. Drumpf doesn't pay for anything. Art of the steal...

[jvill]

11. Geeenland wouldn't join a country with our shitty ass healthcare insurance!

Maybe we should fix that with Trump’s concept of a plan! What in the holy hell is that moron even talking about? Can the cabinet invoke the 25th before President-elect Adderall takes office?

[angrychair]

12. Not clear how we stop it

We do not hold majorities in either side. Hopefully we have a procedural trick to slow it down long enough to get people to protest

[mathematic]

13. The headline does not match the Jeffries' quotes

This sort of thing happens all the time in journalism but here it seems material so I'll call it out.

Jeffries is rejecting expansion of the United States by force. The statements leave open expansion by mutual popular consent, which includes some negotiation that which involves financial compensation, as Trump initially suggested. It's democratic policy to support the expansion of the United States in the case of Puerto Rico if they choose to join. Jeffries has not shut down (in these quotes) the notion of supporting any expansion that follows free and fair democratic process.

Critics that are unable to distinguish between forceful expansion and legitimate expansion via democratic process will end up on the wrong side of PR statehood discussion, the existence and expansion of the EU, and even historical examples like german reunification. If adopted, this ideological dogmatism will lead to untenable contradiction and the inability to oppose actual forceful conquest. It also redirects politics to nationalists frameworks, which is exactly what right wing populists want. After all, if America is America and Denmark [or Greenland] is Denmark, the the notion of America for Americans and America First become even more entrenched. And this is the trap that can only be escaped with subtly. If you become polarized against any merging of polities you strengthen nationalist politics across the world. You must acknowledge and forcefully remind that not only is expansion via mutual democratic consent legitimate, it is the only thing that will be accepted as legitimate.

[state of stupid]

14. It is just BS

Just because minuscule man renames it on our maps, the sane countries that
occupy the rest of the world do not have to alter or rename it on theirs. I can still
call it the Gulf of Mexico regardless of what a map says and will absolutely do so.