The 11 countries Trump is threatening — and why

Map: Axios VisualsPresident Trump has put the world on alert as he's threatened countries across the globe with possible U.S. military action.The big picture: Following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro last weekend, President Trump has suggested multiple Latin American countries might be next, citing the so-called Donroe Doctrine, a play on the Monroe Doctrine.At various points in his presidency, he's also threatened Greenland, Canada and Syria.What they're saying: "President Trump's first instinct is always diplomacy," said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly in a statement to Axios, adding: "The President always has a host of options at his disposal, and all of his actions have put America First while making the entire world safer.Here are the countries Trump has threatened and why.VenezuelaThe U.S. capture of Maduro was only the beginning of its impact on Venezuela. The Trump administration has begun planning to directly control Venezuelan oil sales and revenue.The U.S. is broadly looking to control oil production in the country.Trump said Tuesday night that the U.S. would receive as many as 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil from Venezuela, which is worth about $2.5 billion.Venezuela has been an American adversary for more than 20 years. The South American nation has long bashed the United States as a colonial bully, Axios' Marc Caputo writes. President Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago after announcing U.S. military strikes in Venezuela and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, Jan. 3. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty ImagesGreenlandTrump's yearslong push to take over Greenland gained renewed interest after Maduro's capture. The Trump administration has been seeking the self-governing nation for foreign defense strategy."We do need Greenland, absolutely," Trump told The Atlantic over the weekend. "We need it for defense."Zoom out: World leaders, including those of Greenland and Denmark, have widely pushed back against Trump's desire for Greenland.Trump's recent comments have put NATO on high alert, as Greenland is a territory under the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO member.What's next: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday he will meet with his Danish counterpart next week to discuss Greenland.CubaTrump appeared lukewarm about U.S. intervention in Cuba, claiming the country might fall by its own doing."Cuba looks like it's ready to fall," he said, adding: "I don't think we need any action. It looks like it's going down."But that hasn't stopped Trump from putting a target on Cuba.Threat level: Rubio, whose parents fled Cuba, has been more bullish about invading or targeting Cuba."If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I'd be concerned," Rubio said Saturday.ColombiaTrump has threatened military action in Colombia, citing the country's cocaine factories and production as a part of his war on drugs.Trump has pointed to Colombian President Gustavo Petro, an ally of Maduro, as a threat, saying multiple times that he has to "watch his ass.""Colombia is very sick," Trump said over the weekend.When asked about a potential military move within Colombia, Trump's answer was simple: "Sounds good to me." Split image of President Trump at a White House roundtable and Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaking in Bogotá. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Raul Arboleda/AFP via Getty ImagesMexicoTrump has had an uneasy relationship over the last decade with Mexico and its people, stemming back to his first term. Military action against Mexico may not be out of the cards."Something's going to have to be done with Mexico," Trump told Fox News' "Fox & Friends" on Saturday.Between the lines: Much of Trump's recent ire stems from the country's connection to fentanyl, a deadly drug at the center of Trump's war on drugs.Fentanyl typically comes to the U.S. from Mexico after being produced and supplied by China, per the Government Accountability Office.IranTrump made a clear threat against Iran the day before Maduro's capture, saying the U.S. was "locked and loaded and ready" to intervene in Iran over a series of protester killings.If Iran "violently kills protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue," Trump wrote on Truth Social.Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned Iran's ruler, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that Trump would order his killing if suppression in the country continues.Flashback: In June, Trump bombed Iran during a 12-day war that stalled Iran's nuclear program and delayed potential conflicts.Trump has claimed to have ended the "war" between Iran and Israel.CanadaTrump has teased for months that Canada should become "the 51st state" and that the U.S. wasn't against annexing Canada.Trump even pledged to protect Canada with the U.S. "Golden Dome" missile defense shield if its northern neighbor joined the country.Despite repeated threats, Canadian Prime Minister Carney has been clear with Trump that Canada has no interest in joining the U.S.Trump has not brought up Canada since Maduro's capture. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Trump at the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw in Washington in December. Photo: Dan Mullan/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesPanamaEarlier in his second term, President Trump argued the United States should control the Panama Canal, citing strategic reasons. Trump claimed in March that the U.S. had reclaimed the canal after earning a controlling stake in a company that operates near it.The other side: Panama's government pushed back, with Panama's president, José Raúl Mulino, accusing Trump of "lying."NigeriaTrump's threats against Nigeria reached a boiling point when the U.S. bombed ISIS inside the country on Christmas Day.The attack came after months of Trump and evangelical Christians rallying around the alleged persecution of Christians in the country.SyriaIn December, Trump launched several large-scale airstrikes across Syria after the president threatened the country in the wake of the killing of two American soldiers."This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a post on X at the time. "Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue."NicaraguaThe intrigue: Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) teased Wednesday that Nicaragua could be another country targeted by the U.S."This is the start of changing Venezuela, then we're gonna fix Cuba, Nicaragua will get fixed, next year we'll get a new president in Colombia. Democracy is coming back to this hemisphere," he told Fox Business Live.More from Axios:What the "Donroe Doctrine" is and where Trump could use it nextTrump's Greenland threats put transatlantic alliance on death watchInside Democrats' plans to stop Trump from raiding more countriesTrump hints at more military invasions. Here are the countries to watchEditor's note: This story has been updated with a White House statement.