“We’ll See About That”: Trump’s Panama Canal Comments Spark International Debate
Donald Trump Campaigns For President In Wisconsin (Photo Credit: by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
President-elect Donald Trump has stirred controversy by suggesting the United States should reclaim control of the Panama Canal. Citing high fees and an increasing Chinese presence, Trump’s remarks over the weekend reignited debate over the canal’s ownership and its role in global trade.
“The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the US,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop.”
Trump further asserted, “The United States has a vested interest in the secure, efficient, and reliable operation of the Panama Canal, and that was always understood. We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands! It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama”, told BBC.
The statement drew a sharp rebuke from Panamanian President Ricardo Mulino, who responded via X: “Every square meter of the Panama Canal and the surrounding area belongs to Panama and will continue belonging [to Panama].” Trump replied curtly, “We’ll see about that.”
The issue, according to former Rep. Max Rose (D-NY), is not about national security but money. During a CNN panel discussion, Rose joked about Trump’s sudden interest in the canal. “Look, you should take what Donald Trump says seriously,” Rose said with sarcasm. “Obviously, he’d be acting on it now, because it was such a pivotal issue in the campaign!”
As his fellow panelists laughed, Rose added that Trump never mentioned the Panama Canal during his presidential campaign. Instead, he speculated the move was financially motivated. “The guy never mentioned it once! So we all know how this business works, ok? Someone wrote him a check. Or someone had a pivotal meeting with him and made him a promise for a future check if he acted on this issue.”
Rose argued this pattern reflects a deeper issue with Trump’s priorities. “This speaks to the actual truth of the second iteration of the Trump presidency: not the populist hardcore issues that he actually ran on. And that’s what’s so sad about all this,” Rose said.
Trump’s comments have already sparked international tension, with Panama reaffirming its sovereignty over the canal. Whether Trump will take further action on the issue remains unclear, but his remarks have raised concerns about how his administration might navigate foreign policy and economic disputes.
