Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said Thursday she didn’t believe President-elect Donald Trump actually intends to use military force to seize control of Greenland or the Panama Canal, saying she read his comments more as a warning to China and other global players to keep their hands off such strategically important interests.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Thursday that US President-elect Donald Trump’s remarks about Greenland and the Panama Canal are messages to other big powers, particularly China, rather than hostile claims.

President-elect Donald Trump wouldn't rule out military or economic coercion, saying the U.S. needs to stop China. Also a factor: climate change.

The leader of the Panama Canal Authority denied President-elect Donald Trump’s claims that China is controlling the vital trade route and said Trump’s suggestion that U.S. ships get preferential rates “will lead to chaos.

Donald Trump has reiterated his interest in buying Greenland, threatening to levy tariffs on Denmark and not ruling out military force to acquire the island. Greenland is a self-ruling Arctic territory that is part of Denmark,