'Rip-Off Will Stop' Trump Wants To Regain Control Of Panama Canal Amid China's Growing Influence

President-elect Donald Trump threatened to reassert U.S. control over the Panama Canal on Sunday, accusing Panama of charging excessive rates to use the Central American passage and drawing a sharp rebuke from Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino.
Speaking to a crowd of supporters in Arizona, Trump also said he would not let the canal fall into the "wrong hands," warning of potential Chinese influence on the passage.

After the event, he posted an image on Truth Social of an American flag flying over a narrow body of water, with the comment: "Welcome to the United States Canal!"
"Has anyone ever heard of the Panama Canal?" Trump said at AmericaFest, an annual event organized by Turning Point, an allied conservative group. "Because we're being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we're being ripped off everywhere else."

Trump's comments were an exceedingly rare example of a U.S. leader saying he could push a sovereign country to hand over territory. They also underlined an expected shift in U.S. diplomacy under Trump, who has not historically shied away from threatening allies and using bellicose rhetoric when dealing with counterparts.

"It was given to Panama and the people of Panama, but it has provisions," Trump said of the canal, which was once owned by the United States but was handed over to Panama decades ago.

#donaldtrump #panamacanal #trumpnews #usnews

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[MrMaharlika]

Panama should lower their prices to US. US built the Panama Canal!

[ginettecourtois]

Panama canal needs to reconsider the exorbitant taxes for too many years
Otherwise the canal should be retaked .
Period.💪

[djdigital]

The United States 🇺🇸 built the Panama 🇵🇦 Canal!

[luffyland]

America use to be fully a colony of several nations. By this logic, Russia, Spain, Britain, France, Mexico etc should take back the entire US mainland. France should take back Statue of Liberty as well.

[MagicJohnston]

It would be an interesting experiment if Donald Trump had to offer all Panamanians US citizenship so that Panama became a state of the USA. What do any Panamanians think of this. Would you wish to become a US citizen and vote for your country to join the USA?

[RoadTr]

The problem is that Panama has adopted the Disney Model. Now ships can pay huge sums and bid to go to the front of the Canal line, while others are forced into long wait times.

[frankieclayton]

All these places are not going to put up with the attacking people and places from him

[PrimericanIdol]

He can't do anything. This is a sign of a declining power.

[Northman-from-the-North]

It seems like were heeding to a world where the biggest and strongest can do what the f*ck the want because noone dares to stop them.😢

[robinccc]

America is trying to be the hegemon that it always was. Panama Canal is inside Panama. Ergo, it belongs to Panama.

[todddorsey]

We have to hear this crying for four years

[edwardTisk-ixnj]

The media is reporting as if Trump is already in office!
This is Great! 🎉😊

[barrysheridan]

We protected it 1940, s we eather get a free pass or take it back

[hoplam]

Once you gave away then it is not your anymore.

[jonstaley-qp]

RUSSIA SAID ALASKA BELONGS TO THEM AND GOING TO TAKE IT BACK

[wandahelmer]

I wonder hmm what happened to Manuel Noriega.... we can do a repeat.

[bonniegettingthrumyday]

👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️
THE USA BUILT THIS- $375, 000, 000!
$10, 000, 000 TO PANAMA!
$40, 000, 000 TO FRANCE FIR FAILING TO BUILD IT!!! (What stupid did that)?

[privacyhelp]

Panama could ask Russia and China for military exercises in the canal.

[ajmaeenmahtab]

So America can monopolize technology and profit from it and others can't do the same with something else?

[ndzerelindis]

China and Russia are doing their thing but we get judged always but then these countries need us somehow ...ok its time we be china too ...that canal is ours we taking it like it or not