5 countries Trump signals as his next targets

After issuing repeated threats, Donald Trump moved to action on January 3, when US forces carried out an operation in Caracas, abducted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and took them to the United States, where they were produced before a court. Trump later announced plans to try them on charges related to drug trafficking.

Trump has since indicated that his ambitions may extend to five more countries, which he has warned or threatened in recent days.

Greenland: The United States already operates a military base, Pituffik Space Base, in Greenland, but Trump has said he wants control of the entire island, citing national security concerns. He claimed the region was crowded with Russian and Chinese vessels. The vast Arctic island, part of Denmark, lies about 2,000 miles northeast of the United States and is rich in rare minerals vital for smartphones, electric vehicles and military equipment. Greenland’s prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen dismissed Trump’s idea as fantasy, saying there would be no pressure, no hints and no talk of annexation, while remaining open to dialogue under international law.

Colombia: Within hours of the Venezuela operation, Trump warned Colombian president Gustavo Petro to watch himself. Colombia, Venezuela’s western neighbour, holds significant oil reserves and is a major producer of gold, silver, emeralds, platinum and coal, while also being a central hub in the regional drug trade, particularly cocaine. The United States imposed sanctions on Petro last October, accusing him of allowing cartels to expand. On Sunday, Trump said Colombia was being run by a sick man who liked producing and selling cocaine to the United States, adding that it would not last long. Asked about possible US action, Trump said it sounded good, despite Colombia being a long-time US ally in the war on drugs.

Iran: Iran is facing widespread anti-government protests, and Trump warned that further deaths of protesters would lead to severe retaliation. He said the United States was watching closely and would strike hard if authorities resumed killing people.

Mexico: During his first rise to power in 2016, Trump’s campaign focused on building a wall along the Mexican border. On his first day back in office in 2025, he signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. He has repeatedly accused Mexico of failing to stop the flow of drugs and illegal migrants, saying narcotics were flooding through the country and that powerful cartels remained in control. Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum has openly opposed any US military action.

Cuba: The island nation, located just 90 miles south of Florida, has been under US sanctions since the early 1960s and is a close ally of Maduro’s Venezuela. On Sunday, Trump suggested no military intervention was needed, saying Cuba was on the verge of collapse and had lost its main income source after Venezuela’s oil support dwindled. Meanwhile, US secretary of state Marco Rubio has long called for regime change in Cuba, saying that if he were part of the government in Havana, he would be at least somewhat worried.