Trump Threatens to Take Back Panama Canal in Truth Social Article

President-elect Donald Trump threatened to take over Panama Canal in a long article on Social truth.

Trump accused Panama of “ripping off” U.S. ships by charging “exorbitant prices” to use the vital waterway that serves as a shortcut connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Without it, ships would be forced to sail a much longer distance around South America’s rocky Cape Horn.

Trump was referring to the 1977 Canal Status Treaty, which transferred control of the canal from the United States to Panama in the late 20th century.

He was hailed as one of the presidents Jimmy Carterbut Trump criticized the 39th president for “foolishly giving it away for a dollar.”

“Our Navy and our commerce have been treated very unfairly and misguidedly,” Trump said. “The fees charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially considering the extraordinary generosity extended to Panama by the United States. »

“If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of donation are not respected, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in its entirety and without doubt,” he added with vigor.

Costs to cross the canal range from $0.50 to $300,000, depending on the size of the vessels.

It was not immediately clear what caused Trump to lash out about the canal.

America uses the canal more than any other country, followed by China and then Japan. numbers to show.

At the beginning of this year, drought forced authorities to reduce sea crossings in the channel by 36 percent, impacting global trade routes.