Trump says he might demand Panama hand over canal By Reuters

By Gram Slattery

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) – President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday accused Panama of charging exorbitant tariffs to use the Panama Canal and said if Panama did not manage the canal in an acceptable manner, he would demand that a U.S. ally acquire it. it’s over.

In an evening post on Truth Social, Trump also warned that he would not allow the canal to fall into the “wrong hands,” and he appeared to warn of potential Chinese influence over the passage, writing that the canal should not be controlled by China.

The tweet was an extremely rare example of a US leader saying he could force a sovereign country to cede territory.It also underscored an expected shift in US diplomacy under Trump, which has historically not shied away from threatening allies and belligerent rhetoric when dealing with partners.

The United States primarily built the canal and managed the area surrounding the passage for decades, but the US government handed over control of the canal to Panama in 1999 after a period of joint administration.

“The fees charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially given the extraordinary generosity shown to Panama by the United States,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

“It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a sign of cooperation with us and Panama. If the moral and legal principles of this generous gesture of donation are not fulfilled, we will demand from the Panama Canal; be returned to us in full and without question.”

The Panamanian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.