"If the captives are not released before I take office, everything will be destroyed in the Middle East," President Donald Trump on Gaza Ceasefire Issue
Palm Beach, Florida, January 7, 2025 – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced at a press conference in Florida on Tuesday, addressing questions regarding the Gaza ceasefire talks. He stated, "If the captives are not released before I take office, everything will be destroyed in the Middle East, and it will not be good for Hamas, and frankly, it will not be good for anyone."
Trump has made similar statements before. On December 2, he posted on social media, "If a ceasefire deal is not signed, there will be hell to pay."
Trump is set to be inaugurated for his second term as President on January 20, 2025. During the press conference, he did not rule out the possibility of using U.S. military force over the Panama Canal and Greenland. He said, "The Panama Canal is extremely important for our country." He further added, "We need Greenland for national security purposes."
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a founding member of NATO. Trump mentioned, "Military force will not be used to incorporate Canada into the United States, but rather economic force will be employed." Additionally, he expressed his plan to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America."
Meanwhile, Trump expressed dissatisfaction over the outgoing President Joe Biden's order banning oil and gas drilling in offshore areas. Biden's move protects 625 million acres of federal waters from future energy exploration.
Trump remarked, "I will overturn this order on my first day, and if necessary, I will take it to court."
At the press conference, Trump also accused the Biden administration of hindering the transition process. However, Biden's chief associate Jeff Zients had extended various opportunities and support to Trump’s team, which Trump initially denied.
Trump also criticized the work of Special Counsel Jack Smith, who oversaw the cases related to the January 6 Capitol insurrection and the possession of classified documents. The Department of Justice is expected to release a report soon summarizing Smith's investigation, following the dismissal of the cases after Trump’s election victory.
