Trump Considers Requesting Panama to Surrender Control of the Canal
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday accused Panama of charging exorbitant fees to use the Panama Canal , and said he would demand that the U.S. the ally provides if Panama fails to manage the river in an acceptable manner.
In an evening post on his Truth Social, Trump also warned that the river would not be in the “wrong hands,” seemingly warning of China’s potential influence on the waterway, and building it stresses that China should not control the river .
“Panama’s tariffs are ridiculous, especially considering the extraordinary generosity the United States has shown,” Trump wrote in Truth Social .
"This was offered not for the benefit of others, but as a gesture of solidarity with us and Panama. If the moral and legal principles of this generous gesture are not followed, we will demand the return of the Panama Canal." for us absolutely." , without a doubt," he added.
Reuters says Trump’s comments are “U.S. a rare example of a president who can command a state with the power to cede territory. It also highlights expected changes in the US. diplomacy underscores Trump’s unhesitating threats against allies in the past and his use of aggressive rhetoric when dealing with colleagues.”
For decades, the United States controlled the river and the area around the channel, but transferred full control of the river to Panama in 1999 after a period of joint management
Notably, the Panama Canal is a waterway across the Isthmus of Panama , serving as the gateway and hub for commercial and military traffic in the world, connecting North and South America, and ranking as an important industrial hub one of the greatest in the world Achievements.
The Panama Canal is located in Panama and is 77 kilometers long stretching from the Gulf of Limón in the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Panama in the Pacific Ocean The Gaillard channel is considered the narrowest part of the canal, which is 150 meters, the widest part of Lake Gatun, which covers an area of 422 square kilometres where it's located