“American ships, both military and commercial, should be able to pass for free through the Panama and Suez channels! These channels would not exist without the United States of America,” Trump said.
The head of the White House said that he had already addressed the US Secretary of State Mark Rubio with a request to “immediately solve this situation forever.”
Context
During the inauguration of January 20, Trump accused the Panama government of non -fulfillment of promises on tariffs for passing through the channel, declaring the need to return it to the United States. Panama President Raul Mulino stated that The channel belonged and will belong to Panama, and its administration will still be under the control of Panama.
On January 30, 2025, US Secretary of State Mark Rubio said that China could close the Panama Canal in the event of an international conflict. On February 2, Rubio put forward an ultimatum: if China will continue to control the channel, then “the United States will accept the measures necessary to protect its rights in accordance with the contract.”
On February 6, the US State Department announced on social networks X that American government vessels would walk along the Panama channel for free, What will save the US government millions of dollars a year. In tweet, it was noted that Panama’s power to this “agreed”. The administration of the Panama Canal denied the statement of the State Department, saying that there were no changes in the channel’s work regarding the collection of meetings or the rights to intersection.
Speaking in Congress on March 5, Trump said that the United States was already on the way to the return of the Panama Canal.
