Cue the hysterics after Trump trolling: "Gulf of America", Greenland, Panama Canal and offshore wind

President-elect Donald Trump made news with a series of assertions and pronouncements during a press conference on Tuesday, less than two weeks before he returns to the White House.

Here are five takeaways from his wide-ranging remarks at his Florida resort:

America first is expansionist

During the 2024 campaign, Trump spoke often about keeping his focus on domestic issues and avoiding international entanglements.

But on Tuesday, Trump suggested he is serious about expanding the territory of the United States. He said acquiring Greenland and retaking control of the Panama Canal were in America’s national security interests, and he refused to rule out military force or economic pressure to achieve either.

At one point, he referred to the border with Canada as an “artificially drawn line” and suggested the country would be better off if it simply surrendered its sovereignty and became part of the US, statements that quickly raised hackles in Ottawa.

It’s not always clear whether Trump is prepared to back some of his more outlandish assertions with actions, but his comments alarmed governments around the world who fear the US under Trump could act impulsively in foreign policy matters, despite not doing so during his first term.

The troller-in-chief

Trump always needs opponents to push against - even if they are allies.

In addition to trolling Canada, the incoming Republican president went after the government of Panama, accusing it of overcharging US cargo ships passing though the Panama Canal.

He called Mexico a “very dangerous place" and said he would change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

As for Denmark, he suggested its claim on Greenland was illegitimate despite the fact that it has been part of the Danish state for more than 200 years.

“People really don't even know if Denmark has any legal right, but if they do, they should give it up, because we need it for national security,” he said.

Inheriting a weak economy

In winning the White House, Trump capitalized on voters' anxieties over the state of the US economy, particularly inflation, which soared under the Biden-Harris administration.

He continued on Tuesday to paint a grim picture.

“We are inheriting a difficult situation from the outgoing administration,” Trump said.

Consumers are still grappling with the cost of groceries, insurance, housing and borrowing money.

Kill the windmills

Later, Trump returned to a favorite target: windmills. “Nobody wants them,” Trump said, adding that he believes the coastal turbines are driving whales to kill themselves.

“The windmills are driving the whales crazy,” the president-elect said.

(Reporting by James Oliphant Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Howard Goller)