President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday night vowed to demand a return of the Panama Canal to the United States if Panamanian officials continue to charge U.S. vessels crossing the vital waterway “exorbitant” passage fees.
In two Truth Social posts, Trump slammed the “complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country” by Panama through the “ridiculous” fees being charged to the U.S. Navy and American businesses who need to pass through 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. Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way. 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,” he said.
Trump also directed ire at former President Jimmy Carter, whose 1979 treaty initiated a transfer of control over the canal two decades later in 1999, saying he “foolishly gave it away.”
“Teddy Roosevelt was President of the United States at the time of its building, and understood the strength of Naval Power and Trade. When President Jimmy Carter foolishly gave it away, for One Dollar, during his term in Office, it was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else,” he said.
The president-elect concluded by emphasizing that the Panama Canal “was not given for the benefit of others,” but instead as a “token of cooperation” between the U.S. and the Central American country.
Trump then issued a thinly veiled warning to the Panamanian officials: “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. To the Officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly!”
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The Panama Canal is run by the Panama Canal Authority, which charges tariffs to vessels passing through the waterway, some of which run as high as $300,000.
The U.S. is by far the top user of the Panama Canal, but second is China, which has expanded its footprint across Central and South America.