Trump is threatening to take back control of the Panama Canal unless a deal is reached Reuters
Written by Gram Slattery
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (Reuters) – President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to reassert US control over the Panama Canal, accusing Panama of charging exorbitant fees for using the Central American passage, which allows ships to cross between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
In a Saturday evening letter to Truth Social, Trump also warned that he would not let the canal fall into the “wrong hands,” and appeared to warn of China’s potential influence on the role, writing that the canal should not be managed by China. .
China does not control or manage the canal. However, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings has long managed two ports located in the Caribbean and the Pacific for the canal.
The post was an extremely rare example of an American leader saying he would pressure a sovereign country to cede territory. It also underscores an expected shift in US diplomacy under Trump, who has historically not shied away from threatening allies and using bellicose rhetoric when dealing with allies.
“The fees charged to Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the incredible generosity that the US has given to Panama,” Trump wrote in his Social Truth book.
“It was not given for the benefit of others, but simply as a sign of cooperation with us and Panama. If the principles, both moral and legal, of this great act of charity are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us in full, and without hesitation,” he wrote.
The Panamanian embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
Several Panamanian politicians, however, took to social media to criticize Trump’s remarks and call on the government to protect the canal.
“The government has a duty to protect our independence as a sovereign country,” said Grace Hernandez, deputy of the opposition party MOCA, to X. “Professionalism calls for strictness when it comes to regrettable statements.”
The United States has largely built a canal and controlled zone around the area for decades. But the United States and Panama signed two agreements in 1977 that paved the way for the canal to return to Panama’s full control. The United States gave up control of the canal in 1999 after a period of joint administration.
The waterway, which allows up to 14,000 ships to cross annually, accounts for 2.5% of global maritime trade and is important for US car sales and commercial goods via container ships from Asia, as well as US cargo shipments, including liquid liquids.
It is not clear how Trump would seek to regain control of the canal, and he would have no power under international law if he decided to make a pass.
This is not the first time that Trump has openly looked at territorial expansion.
In recent weeks, he has been seriously considering turning Canada into a US state, although it is not clear how serious he is about the matter. During his 2017-2021 term, Trump has expressed interest in buying Greenland, a sovereign territory of Denmark. The Danish authorities publicly forbade it before the negotiations took place.
