Trump Responds to Panama's President as Canal Dust-Up Escalates: 'We'll See About That'
President-elect Donald Trump issued a four-word response on Sunday after Panama’s President Jose Raúl Mulino rejected his assertions that the United States should regain control of the Panama Canal.
Mulino said that “every square meter of the Panama Canal” belongs to the Central American country “and will continue belonging to Panama,” per an X post translating remarks he made in a video.
Trump then shared a screenshot of that post on Truth Social and commented, “We’ll see about that!”
The exchange came after Trump proposed in a series of Truth Social posts that the Panama Canal, which he called “a VITAL National Asset for the United States,” should be operated favorably for Americans and their economic and military endeavors.
“A secure Panama Canal is crucial for U.S. Commerce, and rapid deployment of the Navy, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and drastically cuts shipping times to U.S. ports,” Trump wrote.
“The United States is the Number One user of the Canal, with over 70 percent of all transits heading to, or from, U.S. ports,” he added.
The incoming commander-in-chief noted that American men built the Panama Canal under the leadership of President Theodore Roosevelt at significant expense.
Some 38,000 men lost their lives from infected mosquitoes in the process.
He rebuked President Jimmy Carter, who “foolishly gave it away” for “One Dollar” by signing a treaty toward that end in 1979.
Trump also cautioned that Chinese interests are more recently encroaching on the critical piece of infrastructure.
“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,” Trump continued.
“The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S.”
Trump warned that he will demand the complete return of the Panama Canal if the original intent of the agreement is not honored and told Panamanian officials to be “guided accordingly.”
“We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands! It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama,” he wrote. “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.”
Another post from Trump featured an American flag flying over the Panama Canal, with Trump adding the caption, “Welcome to the United States Canal!”
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance shared that post on his X page, as well.
Trump continued his comments on Panama while speaking at Turning Point USA’s America Fest in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday, per Axios.
“The United States has a big and vested interest in the secure, efficient, and reliable operation of the Panama Canal,” he said. “It’s falling into the wrong hands — it was not given for the benefit of others. It was given with provisions. You have to treat us fairly, and you are not treating us fairly.”
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