President-elect Donald Trump has voiced sharp criticism of the Panama Canal’s toll structure, describing the fees as exorbitant and unfair to the United States.
BREAKING: Trump says he may demand that the Panama Canal be returned to U.S. control. pic.twitter.com/jpi0QXO8kE
— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) December 22, 2024
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In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump suggested the possibility of the U.S. reclaiming control of the canal, a key waterway relinquished to Panama under a treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977.
“The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s Economy and National Security,” Trump wrote.
He emphasized the canal’s importance for U.S. commerce and naval operations, noting that over 70 percent of transits through the canal are linked to American ports.
The canal, which opened 110 years ago, was constructed under President Theodore Roosevelt’s administration and at a significant cost to the United States.
Trump pointed out that “38,000 American men died from infected mosquitos in the jungles during construction.”
He described the canal as a critical piece of infrastructure that drastically reduces shipping times and facilitates rapid deployment of U.S. naval forces between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Trump criticized the Panama Canal Treaty signed by President Carter in 1977, which transferred control of the canal to Panama by the end of 1999.
Carter also signed the Neutrality Treaty, which guaranteed equal tolls for all nations.
Trump, however, rejected the idea of equal treatment, arguing that the U.S. should receive preferential toll rates given its investment in building and maintaining the canal.
“It was likewise not given for Panama to charge the United States, its Navy, and corporations, doing business within our Country, exorbitant prices and rates of passage,” Trump said. “The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop.”
🚨BREAKING: Donald Trump says he may demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States. pic.twitter.com/Jh6zPx4urh
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 21, 2024
The tolls for using the Panama Canal range from three to six figures, depending on the size of the vessel and the amount of cargo it carries. Larger ships can face fees exceeding $500,000 for a single transit. Trump expressed dissatisfaction with these costs, describing them as unjust and disproportionate to the U.S.’s contributions to the canal’s construction and ongoing maintenance.
Trump suggested that the U.S. might move to reclaim control of the canal if its ships are not given more favorable treatment.
“[The Panama Canal] was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama,” he stated. “If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question.”
Trump is 100% right. Carter should have never given up the Panama Canal. Let’s reclaim it. pic.twitter.com/4qStwoSzUX
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) December 22, 2024
According to the Department of Government Efficiency’s X account, the Panama Canal cost U.S. taxpayers $15.2 billion to construct.
Trump’s comments have reignited discussions about the canal’s strategic and economic value to the United States, as well as the fairness of current toll structures.
As Trump prepares to take office, his statements suggest that U.S. relations with Panama and the administration of the canal may face renewed scrutiny.
Whether these remarks lead to policy changes or renegotiations remains to be seen, but they have already drawn attention to the historical and ongoing significance of the Panama Canal to American interests.
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