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Panama Canal: Why is Trump threatening to take back control of us and what we will be?

Panama Canal: Why is Trump threatening to take back control of us and what we will be?

The Panama Canal is on the right while Trump, in a red tie, is on the right.

Where did this photo come from? Getty Images/Panama Canal Authority

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has not called on Panama to reduce access rights to the Panama Canal or return them to U.S. control.

Trump said Panama was collecting fees that were too “unfair” and that the country needed to stop doing it.

President-elect Trump spoke for Arizona on Sunday, speaking to supporters of Turning Point USA, a group of conservative activists providing significant support to the 2024 election campaign.

Trump gained notoriety for saying that when he takes office next month he will take action on the Panama Canal.

According to Trump, the president of Panama is not doing well, because he says I am independent and nothing suits him.

President José Raúl Mulino said that “every square meter” of the canal and its surroundings belongs to im kontri.

President Mulino even added that Panama’s sovereignty and independence are non-negotiable.

This comment from Trump is a rare example of a US leader saying he can push a country to cede territory to him.

While there are no explanations for how the decision-making will play out, there are no signs of how U.S. foreign policy and diplomacy might change once it enters the White House after its inauguration on January 20, 2025.

Why is Trump threatening to take control of us again?

Because of the high shipping fees Trump claims Panama collects for the canal, I am threatening to take back control of it.

If shipping rates don’t go down, Trump said, “we will demand that they return the Panama Canal to us, in its entirety, quickly and without worry.”

They also accuse Central American countries of saying they charge “too much” for U.S. ships and warships.

“The fees they charge for Panama are ridiculous and very unfair,” he said.

“The total scam of our country must stop immediately.”

What is the Panama Canal?

The 82 km-long Panama Canal passes through the Central American nation and is the main link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

They were built in the early 1900s, and the United States maintained control of the Canal Zone until 1977, when treaties gradually returned the land to Panama.

After a period of joint control, Panama took sole control in 1999.

Up to 14,000 ships pass through the canal each year, including container ships carrying cars, natural gas and drinking water cargo, as well as military ships.