Trump’s Next Targets: Countries at Risk Under a 2nd Term

U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term is being marked by assertive foreign policy actions, including a raid in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the country’s president and his wife, and escalating rhetoric toward several other nations.

Greenland

The U.S. already maintains a military presence on Greenland through Pituffik Space Base, but Trump has expressed a desire to acquire the entire island. He stated, “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security,” citing the presence of Russian and Chinese vessels in the region.

Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, is approximately 2,000 miles (3,200 km) northeast of the U.S. The island is rich in rare earth minerals, essential for the production of smartphones, electric vehicles, and military equipment, resources in which China currently dominates production. Greenland also holds a strategically important location in the North Atlantic, providing access to the increasingly important Arctic circle, with new shipping routes expected to open as polar ice melts.

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen dismissed the notion of U.S. control as a “fantasy,” stating, “No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation. We are open to dialogue. We are open to discussions. But this must happen through the proper channels and with respect for international law.” Any attempt by the U.S. to seize Greenland would likely conflict with Denmark, a NATO member.

Colombia

Shortly after the operation in Venezuela, Trump warned Colombian President Gustavo Petro to “watch his ass.” Venezuela’s western neighbor, Colombia, possesses significant oil reserves and is a major producer of gold, silver, emeralds, platinum, and coal. It is also a key hub for the region’s drug trade, particularly cocaine.

Following the commencement of U.S. strikes against boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific in September – based on unsubstantiated claims of drug trafficking – Trump has engaged in a growing dispute with Colombia’s left-wing president. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Petro in October, alleging he was allowing cartels to “flourish.”

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump accused Petro of being “a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,” and predicted he “is not going to be doing it for very long.” When asked about a potential operation targeting Colombia, Trump responded, “It sounds good to me.” Historically, Colombia has been a close U.S. ally in the war on drugs, receiving substantial military assistance.

Iran

Iran is currently experiencing mass anti-government protests, and Trump warned that Iranian authorities would be “hit very hard” if more protesters were killed. “We’re watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States,” he told reporters.

While Iran falls outside the scope of the “Donroe Doctrine,” Trump has previously threatened the Iranian regime, including strikes against its nuclear facilities last year, following a large-scale Israeli operation aimed at disrupting Iran’s nuclear weapons program, which led to a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. A recent meeting between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly focused on the possibility of further strikes against Iran in 2026.

Mexico

Trump’s 2016 campaign was largely defined by his calls to “Build the Wall” along the U.S.-Mexico border. Upon returning to office in 2025, he signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”

Trump has repeatedly asserted that Mexican authorities are failing to adequately address the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants into the U.S. He stated on Sunday that drugs were “pouring” through Mexico and “we’re gonna have to do something,” adding that the cartels there were “very strong.” He also mentioned offering to send U.S. troops to Mexico to combat cartels, an offer rejected by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Cuba

Cuba, located just 90 miles (145 km) south of Florida, has been subject to U.S. sanctions since the early 1960s. The nation maintained close ties with Nicolás Maduro’s Venezuela, which supplied approximately 30% of Cuba’s oil in exchange for doctors and medical professionals.

With Maduro’s removal, Havana faces potential economic hardship if oil supplies are disrupted. Trump suggested on Sunday that military intervention in Cuba was unnecessary, stating the country is “ready to fall.”

“I don’t think we need any action,” he said. “It looks like it’s going down.” He added, “I don’t know if they’re going to hold out, but Cuba now has no income. They got all their income from Venezuela, from Venezuelan oil.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, has long advocated for regime change in Cuba, stating on Saturday, “If I lived in Havana, and I was in the government, I’d be concerned – at least a little bit.” He added, “When the president speaks, you should take him seriously.”