What’s the history of the Panama Canal, and why is Trump threatening to retake control of it?
CNN
President-elect Donald Trump over the weekend suggested the US should retake the Panama Canal, an idea that was immediately rejected by the government of Panama, which has controlled the passage for decades.
President-elect Donald Trump over the weekend suggested the US should retake the Panama Canal, an idea that was immediately rejected by the government of Panama, which has controlled the passage for decades. In social media posts and remarks to supporters, Trump accused Panama of charging the US “exorbitant rates” to use the canal and hinted at growing Chinese influence over the crucial waterway. “The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S.,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. The US-built canal was opened in 1914 and controlled by the United States until a 1977 agreement provided for its eventual handover to Panama. The canal was jointly operated by both countries until the Panamanian government retained full control after 1999. Speaking to a crowd of young conservatives in Phoenix on Sunday, Trump said if the spirit of that agreement is not followed, “then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States. So, to the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly.” It’s not clear how seriously Trump is taking his threat to reclaim control over the canal, though the weekend was not the first time he has said the US is getting a raw deal. The president-elect has not clarified how he would force a sovereign, friendly country to cede its own territory.
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President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday, in his first rally-like speech since the November election, threatened to retake control of the Panama Canal, pushed back on criticism of Elon Musk’s influence, and suggested he could soon meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.