Tue Dec 24 00:42:50 UTC 2024: ## Trump Demands Panama Return Canal, Prompting Fierce Rebuke
**Panama City, Panama –** President-elect Donald Trump’s weekend call for the United States to retake the Panama Canal has been met with swift and firm rejection from the Panamanian government. Trump, in social media posts and a speech to conservative activists, accused Panama of charging “exorbitant rates” for canal usage and alluded to growing Chinese influence.
Trump’s statements, made on Saturday and Sunday, claim the fees are “ridiculous” given past US generosity towards Panama. He hinted at demanding the canal’s return if the spirit of the 1977 handover agreement is not followed. While unclear how seriously he intends this threat, it’s not the first time he’s voiced such sentiments.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino issued a strong statement declaring Panama’s complete and unnegotiable sovereignty over the canal and its surrounding area. He dismissed Trump’s claims, stating that the fees are justified and that neither China nor any other foreign power exerts control over the canal.
The Panama Canal, built by the US and transferred to Panamanian control in 1999, has a long and complex history between the two nations. Initially constructed under US control following a US-backed Panamanian independence from Colombia, the transfer of control was finalized after years of negotiations and treaties, culminating in 1999. This transfer followed decades of tension, including anti-American riots in 1964 and the US invasion of Panama in the late 1980s.
Trump’s assertion of Chinese influence over the canal is partially supported by Panama’s 2017 decision to sever ties with Taiwan, aligning more closely with China. However, President Mulino firmly denied any direct or indirect Chinese control.
This incident is the latest instance of Trump publicly expressing a desire to acquire or threaten to seize territory from friendly nations. He has previously suggested making Canada the 51st US state and buying Greenland from Denmark. These statements have raised concerns about the president-elect’s foreign policy approach.
First Piper 