Trump does not rule out the use of military force to expand the US - Rezazade

Iranian opposition leader in Washington, Ali Reza Rezazade, noted that Donald Trump, the US president-elect, has said that he does not rule out the possibility of using military or economic force to expand the country's territory.

He also promised a pardon for those involved in the January 6, 2021, riots at the Capitol, which could lead to significant changes in the US justice system and on the international stage when he takes office in two weeks.

In a 70-minute press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trump outlined his ambitions for territorial expansion. He proposed buying Greenland, threatened to return the Panama Canal and announced the possibility of putting economic pressure on Canada to make it the 51st US state. He also said that he would rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America".

Trump warned that the situation in the Middle East would escalate if the hostages in Gaza were not released by the day of his inauguration. He also criticized the Justice Department for its handling of the events of January 6, refusing to rule out the possibility of pardons for those accused of violent crimes.

“We are considering it,” Trump said when asked about possible pardons for those accused of violence during the storming of the Capitol. To date, nearly 1,600 people have been charged or sentenced in connection with the events of January 6.

The press conference was another example of Trump’s usual style of speech: he often deviated from the topic, made offensive statements, false claims and exaggerations. He compared the US justice system to those of “third countries” and “banana republics” and continued to criticize the judges and prosecutors who are handling the cases against him.

The press conference was intended to showcase investments in the U.S. from an Emirati developer with long-standing ties to Trump. However, Trump quickly deviated from the topic, saying that the results of the November election were still being counted and again speaking out against the judges and prosecutors who are handling criminal cases against him.