Trump Issues a Furious Speech Threatening to Seize Control of the Panama Canal Due to “Exorbitant” Fees

Trump’s demands that Panama lower its canal tolls or give it back to the United States have angered the country’s president.

Accusing Panama of charging “exorbitant prices” to American commerce and naval vessels, President-elect Donald Trump has called on the country to lower fees or return control of the Panama Canal to the United States.

On Sunday, he addressed a group of supporters in Arizona, saying, “The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair.”

He declared, “This total rip-off of our nation will immediately stop,” alluding to his inauguration next month.

He was quickly reprimanded by the president of Panama, who declared that “every square meter” of the canal and its environs belonged to his nation.

Panama’s independence and sovereignty are non-negotiable, President José Raúl Mulino added.

The remarks were directed at members of Turning Point USA, a conservative activist organization that gave Trump a lot of help during his 2024 campaign.

Though he did not specify how he would do so, it was a unique instance of a US leader stating that he could pressure a nation to cede land, and it was a preview of how American diplomacy and foreign policy would change after he takes office after his inauguration on January 20.

Trump made similar remarks after claiming that the Panama Canal was a “vital national asset” for the United States in a similar post the day before.

“We will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, quickly and without question,” Trump declared on Sunday if shipping prices are not reduced.

The Panama Canal, the primary conduit between the Atlantic and Pacific seas, spans the country in central America and is 51 miles (82 km) long.

The US controlled the canal zone until 1977, when accords progressively returned the area to Panama. It was constructed in the early 1900s. In 1999, following a period of shared authority, Panama assumed full control.

The canal sees up to 14,000 ships annually, including military vessels and container ships transporting automobiles, natural gas, and other commodities.

For what he saw as unfair trade practices, the president-elect also attacked Canada and Mexico in addition to Panama. He hailed Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum a “wonderful woman,” but he accused them of letting immigration and narcotics into the United States.

Trump spoke in front of thousands of people at the annual convention of Turning Point, which is one of the biggest gatherings of conservative activists in the nation.

During the 2016 campaign, Turning Point invested a significant amount of money in get-out-the-vote campaigns in battleground areas to support Trump and other Republicans.

It was his first speech since a compromise that repealed a clause that would have raised the nation’s debt ceiling and kept the US government operating was approved by Congress this week.

The debt ceiling, which limits the amount of money the US government can borrow, was something Trump had backed raising.

His speech on Sunday, however, completely sidestepped that topic in favor of restating his election triumph and addressing issues that were central to his campaign, such as immigration, crime, and international trade.

He did bring up Elon Musk, though.

“They’re on a new kick,” he remarked. all of the various frauds. Elon Musk has taken over as president, which is the latest development.

“No, that isn’t going to happen,” he said. “He won’t become president.”

Though the Republican Party’s internal conflicts, which have been evident in Congress in recent days, were largely subdued, a number of speakers at the conference criticized government spending and lawmakers from both parties.