Trump releases fierce warning about the Panama Canal

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President-elect Donald Trump warned in a fiery statement Saturday evening that the Panama Canal should be returned to the United States if Panama doesn’t stop ripping off the U.S. with their exorbitant fees just for ships to pass through.

Fox News explained: The Panama Canal’s tolls can range from three to six figures depending on how large a vessel is and how much cargo it carries, with the largest ships being charged as much as $500,000.

Fox News also provided a “fact check,” noting that Trump incorrectly claimed that 38,000 Americans died while building it:

The National Institutes for Health estimates the number of people who died while working during the American construction of the canal was around 5,600.

It is unclear how many of those who died were American because a large part of the labor force was recruited from the Caribbean. Trump may have included the roughly 22,000 workers who died while the French attempted to build the canal in the 1880s.

Below is Trump’s full statement, which he posted on Truth Social Saturday evening.  

The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s Economy and National Security. 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.

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.

Considered one of the Wonders of the Modern World, the Panama Canal opened for business 110 years ago, and was built at HUGE cost to the United States in lives and treasure – 38,000 American men died from infected mosquitos in the jungles during construction.

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. 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.

The United States has a vested interest in the secure, efficient, and reliable operation of the Panama Canal, and that was always understood. 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.

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!

Trump warned during an August 2023 interview with Tucker Carlson that China now controls the Panama Canal, and noted that it was “stupid” for the United States to give it away.

Podcast host Mark Levin wrote, “Amen! Amen! President Trump!  And Ronald Reagan opposed the giveaway of the Panama Canal, and Adam Laxalt’s grandfather, Senator Paul Laxalt (one of my mentors) led the opposition in the Senate. I couldn’t be prouder of President Trump’s stand!”

Breitbart’s Matthew Boyle wrote, “I must say @realDonaldTrump standing up for the Panama Canal is one of the greatest things he’s done. He’s 100 percent right that it was a massive historic mistake to give it away. Thank the Democrats and Jimmy Carter for that idiocy.”

Prominent war journalist Michael Yon commented on the situation. He wrote:

Panama and United States must work together to secure Panama Canal. This MUST include cutting funding of NGOs — and United Nations in particular — who are destabilizing Panama and so many other countries including United States.

China is shadow-colonizing Panama and many other countries.

United States and Panama must take back Fort Clayton and clean out all the NGOs infestation. I’ve spent months there and know it well.

Adam Laxalt, former Attorney General of Nevada, also reacted to Trump’s statement.

“Reagan and my grandfather campaigned across America to rally the votes to block Carter from giving away the Panama Canal in 1978. They lost it by 2 votes. Here we are almost 50 years later,” Laxalt wrote.

Tristan Justice of The Federalist shared a photo and wrote, “I’ve been on this train since 2017. Here’s a picture of me in college, getting booed by ship workers for reminding them who built the Panama Canal.”

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