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An image posted by U.S. President Donald Trump on his Truth Social account shows him sitting near CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, observing the U.S. military operation in Venezuela on January 3, 2026.
WASHINGTON: A more confident President Donald Trump hinted at targeting additional countries after overthrowing Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, prompting questions worldwide: what’s his next move?
During a half-hour exchange with reporters on Sunday aboard Air Force One, Trump criticized Colombia, Cuba, Greenland, Mexico, and Iran.
Having previously campaigned for a Nobel Peace Prize and expressing disdain for interventionism, Trump now asserts that Washington has the right to pursue its interests in its neighborhood as it sees fit.
Greenland
Since the Venezuela operation, Trump has intensified his pursuit of Greenland’s annexation from Denmark.
“Trump has listed numerous potential future targets, but Greenland appears to be the most probable focus for his administration,” said Asli Aydintasbas, a fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center on the United States and Europe, to AFP.
Trump argues that Greenland’s mineral wealth and semi-autonomous status are vital for national security, claiming Denmark is incapable of shielding Greenland from Russian and Chinese threats.
In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that any attempt to seize Greenland by force could jeopardize NATO itself.
Alternatively, the U.S. might escalate diplomatic efforts, such as proposing a referendum in Greenland, to influence the territory without direct confrontation.
Colombia
Colombia has been the recipient of Trump’s most aggressive threats, with the president warning leftist leader Gustavo Petro to “watch his back” and expressing willingness to consider military action.
Trump has accused Petro of collusion with drug traffickers—mirroring allegations made against Maduro before his capture.
Petro responded Monday, asserting he was ready to “take up arms” in light of Trump’s threats.
However, Colombia’s complex armed factions, remnants of its civil war, could complicate any direct intervention. Trump may instead be relying on Venezuela to pressure regional leaders into submission.
“Essentially, he’s signaling that he can bully countries into compliance and insists that U.S. dominance must be accepted for them to maintain sovereignty,” Aydintasbas explained.
Cuba
Trump claimed that Cuba, a long-standing adversary of the U.S. and ally of Venezuela, was “ready to fall.”
The island near Florida, governed by a communist regime, has historically been targeted by U.S. policymakers, particularly by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a son of Cuban immigrants. Cuba reported the death of 32 Cuban security personnel during the Maduro operation.
Trump predicted that military intervention in Cuba wouldn’t be necessary, believing that crippling sanctions and the loss of Venezuelan oil subsidies could topple Havana’s regime.
Mexico
On Sunday, Trump told Mexico to “get their act together,” criticizing recent pressures over drug trafficking and trade.
He praised President Claudia Sheinbaum, whom he met in December during the U.S.-Mexico-Canada World Cup draw, calling her a “terrific person.”
Trump pressed her to allow U.S. troops to combat drug cartels, claiming she previously refused.
Sheinbaum responded Monday, rejecting U.S. dominance and asserting the Americas do not belong to any single power.
Iran
Iran, another major oil producer alongside Venezuela, faced U.S. airstrikes targeting its nuclear program in June and is now under renewed pressure from Trump regarding its crackdown on protests.
Trump warned Sunday that Iran would “get hit very hard” if demonstrators are killed again.
Senator Lindsey Graham was photographed holding a “Make Iran Great Again” hat during Trump’s flight on Air Force One.
Aydintasbas cautioned against Trump becoming overly aggressive, noting that while he currently relishes his role as an “imperial president,” his interest could wane if conflicts intensify in Venezuela or the Middle East.
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