US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday (Jan 7) said that when he was in power there were no wars, stressing that “I’m going into a world that’s burning.” He slammed President Joe Biden’s negotiating tactics with Ukraine for the situation.
“Now I’m going into a world that’s burning,” Trump said while delivering his first remarks as certified election winner.
He said this in reference to the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars. Trump said that Russia’s war in Ukraine is “much more complicated” now and that it could escalate further.
“That war could escalate to be much worse than it is right now,” he said.
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‘Gulf of Mexico should be called Gulf of America’
Trump further said that the Gulf of Mexico should instead be called the “Gulf of America” as he continues his expansionist streak, saying that it is “appropriate”.
However, he did not mention how he would make the renaming happen.
“We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring that covers a lot of territory. What a beautiful name. And it’s appropriate,” Trump said.
He further blamed Mexico for undocumented migration and threatened tariffs on both of America’s continental neighbours.
“Mexico has to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country,” he said.
He further warned that the US is going to put “very serious tariffs on Mexico and Canada.”
“They can stop them. And we’re going to put very serious tariffs on Mexico and Canada, because Canada, they come through Canada too, and the drugs that are coming through are at record numbers, record numbers. So we’re going to make up for that by putting tariffs on Mexico and Canada, substantial tariffs,” he said.
‘All hell will break out’
Trump warned that if hostages still being held in Gaza are not released by the time he is inaugurated on January 20, “all hell will break out in the Middle East.”
He said that it would not be good for Hamas, stressing that there should have never been the October 7 attack.
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“It will not be good for Hamas and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone. All hell will break out. I don’t have to say anymore, but that’s what it is,” Trump said, adding that “there should have never been” the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.
‘Looking at’ possibility of pardoning Jan 6 rioters
The president-elect said that he was “looking at” the possibility of pardoning January 6 rioters who are charged with violent offences.
“Well, we’re looking at it, and we have other people in there,” Trump said when a reporter asked, “You said on your first day of office you were going to pardon January 6th defendants. Are you planning to pardon those who were charged with violent offences?”
“People that were doing some bad things weren’t prosecuted, and people that didn’t even walk into the building are in jail right now. So, we’ll be looking at the whole thing. But I’ll be making major pardons, yes,” Trump further said.
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Biden ‘trying to make the transition difficult’
Further slamming US President Biden, Trump said the Biden administration is “trying everything they can to make it more difficult” and is seeking to “block the reforms of the American people and that they voted for.”
“Remember, this is a man that said he wants to transition to be smooth,” he said of President Joe Biden. “Well, you don’t do the kind of things—you don’t have a judge working real hard to try and embarrass you.”
Trump satisfied with Meta’s move
Trump said Facebook-parent Meta’s abrupt policy shift on content moderation, including ending fact-checking in the US, was “probably” motivated by his threats against CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
While speaking to reporters, he expressed satisfaction with the new move.
When asked if he believed it was a response to his threats against Zuckerberg, Trump said, “Probably, yeah.”
(With inputs from agencies)