United States President-elect Donald Trump has slammed what he called unfair fees for American ships passing through the Panama Canal threatening to demand control of the waterway be returned to Washington.
The president-elect also hinted at China’s increasing influence around the Panama Canal, which is a worrying thing for American interests as US businesses rely on the channel to move goods between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Taking to Truth Social platform, Trump said: “Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous. This complete ‘rip-off’ of our country will immediately stop.”
Completed by the United States in 1914, the Panama Canal was returned to the Central American country under a 1977 deal signed by Democratic president Jimmy Carter.
Panama had taken full control of the canal in 1999.
Trump further said that it was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else. We would and will never let it fall into the wrong hands, he warned. If Panama could not ensure the secure, efficient and reliable operation of the channel, then the US will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us without question.
Meanwhile, authorities in Panama did not immediately respond to Donald Trump’s post.
