According to Thomas L. Friedman, Trump's comments about his administration perhaps capturing Greenland or the Panama Canal essentially enables President Xi Jinping of China to do the same with Taiwan. 

Friedman cautioned in the New York Times on Monday that if the US president decides to capture Greenland and publicly refuses to rule out the use of force, it is essentially permitting China to seize Taiwan, which has significant emotional, historical, linguistic, and national ties to mainland China.

According to his National Security Advisor designate, Mike Waltz, who addressed the topic on Sunday when questioned about the potential use of force, Trump is considering all possibilities regarding Greenland.

Trump, who will take office on January 20, declared last month that owning Greenland was "an absolute necessity" for the United States. His remark followed the appointment of a new US ambassador to Denmark. Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede responded firmly, emphasizing that the island is not for sale.

The author contends that Trump's words are foolish, questioning what would happen when his nominee for ambassador to Beijing, David Perdue, takes up his job and, in reaction to an aggressive act by China against Taiwan, goes to the Chinese Foreign Ministry to protest. 

According to Friedman, the ministry will mock the ambassador and cite Trump's ambitions and intentions.

Trump caused more damage than thought

Russian President Vladimir Putin is undoubtedly thinking the same thing, Friedman believes, questioning, "How does America get off telling him that by invading Ukraine he has violated international laws and norms by seizing the territory of another nation, while Trump muses about seizing Greenland and forcibly reimposing US sovereignty over the Panama Canal?"

Ukraine's land was previously part of Mother Russia, as was Crimea, which Putin has already completely reclaimed, Friedman said.

It's no surprise, according to the author, that Dmitry Peskov, Putin's press secretary, told CNBC on Thursday that Russia is "watching the rhetoric on these topics coming out of Washington with great interest."

Friedman warns that although some may see Trump's comments as a joke, they are truly a "prescription for chaos."

He also believes they have caused more damage than the public estimates, detailing how Trump is risking losing the world order the US established post-WWII.