President Donald Trump called for military and commercial ships from the United States, who were able to travel through Suez and Panama Canals without facing fees, and said that he had directed State Secretary Marco Rubio to take care of the issue.
“American ships, both military and commercial, should be allowed to travel for free, through Panama and Suez Canals!” Trump has written in a post on Truth Social. “Those canals will not be present without the United States. I asked the state secretary Marco Rubio to take care immediately and make it memorable, remember this situation!”
Trump’s post comes in the form of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, earlier this month during a press conference in Panama, it was announced that the US and Panama would sign an announcement to provide a outline for American warships and supporting ships, which to travel to ‘first and free’ through the canal, which the US had created “earlier”.
While the US built the canal in the early 1900s and maintained it for decades before handing over to Panama in the 1990s, China in recent years had invested money in the infrastructure associated with projects and infrastructure. As a route between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, which handles more than 40 percent of the US maritime trade, if the China was able to shut down the canal, it would be a devastation for the US
In December 2024, Trump threatened to withdraw the Panama Canal, if Panama continued to rip America, and mentioned how American ships were being charged “excessive” to travel through the canal.
Trump described the Panama Canal as a “important national property” for the US and said “a safe Panama Canal is important for American Commerce.”
Trump at that time wrote a true social post, “The Panama Canal is considered an important national property for the United States due to its important role for the US economy and national security.” “A safe Panama Canal is important for American commerce, and rapid deployment of the Navy, from Atlantic to Pacific, and the shipping at American ports significantly cut off.”
In February, Rubio succeeded in convincing Panama not to renew his agreement with China to participate in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
