president-elect Donald Trump on Sunday at a conference in Arizona, doubled down on the Panamanian government’s threats to seize the Panama Canal.
Saturday evening, Trump posted on social media that he would not tolerate new fees that Panama charges ships to pass through the U.S.-built waterway. Former President Jimmy Carter signed treaties during his term to transfer the canal, which the country honored twenty years later.
Trump has condemned Carter and, while addressing fees for the use of the canal, wrote he would “demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us completely and without question. To the officials of Panama: please be guided accordingly!”
The President-elect addressed Turning Point USA AmFest 2024 Conference Sunday in Phoenix, when he doubled down on the threat to take back the canal. Trump said:
The Panama Canal is considered an essential national asset for the United States of America due to its crucial role in the American economy, the entire global economy and also national security. The Panama Canal. Has anyone ever heard of the Panama Canal? Because we’re getting ripped off at the Panama Canal. As if we are being scammed everywhere and are safe. He just said take it back. It’s a good idea.
(…)
A secure Panama Canal is critical to American commerce and the rapid deployment of the Navy from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It’s something incredible. And dramatically reduce shipping times to US ports by days or even weeks. The United States is the largest user of the Panama Canal, with more than 72% of all transit to or from U.S. ports. Think about that. So we built it. We are the ones who use it. They gave it away. Considered one of the world, truly one of the great wonders of the world. The Panama Canal opened 110 years ago and was built at enormous cost to the United States. And it’s really big when you consider the lives and treasure as the equivalent of $1.2 trillion today.
Watch above via Fox News.