Donald Trump Taunts Panama
Former President Donald Trump has once again made headlines with a provocative post on Truth Social. On Sunday, Trump shared a photo of an American flag hanging from the mast of a ship passing through the Panama Canal, accompanied by the caption: "Welcome to the United States Canal."
This statement has drawn reactions from across the globe for pointing out how the "America First" policies of Trump were quite bold in terms of international relations.
Why It Matters Because Trump has, since his presidential victory in 2016, promoted an "America First" agenda in trade and foreign policy. From demands for the rebalancing of deals to questions over U.S. foreign financial commitments, nothing has come without controversy.
Trump has floated tariffs on trading partners, threatened that perhaps Canada should be the 51st state and said that allies are "delinquent" when it comes to paying for their own defense. His new remarks about Panama are in keeping with that approach to upending traditional international relationships.
In his post, Trump criticized the fees charged by Panama to use the canal:
"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."
Trump also threatened, even, to demand the return of the Panama Canal:
"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! 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."
Panama Reacts
As expected, Panama didn't take those comments sitting down. The President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, made sure his voice was heard on the issue and shared a staunch response in a video via X, formerly known as Twitter:
"Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas belong to Panama and will continue belonging to Panama."
This rebuff underlines Panama's attitude toward its sovereignty and control of the canal, which has been under its administration since 1999 after decades of U.S. supervision.
Wider Implications
Trump's comments about the Panama Canal open old debates on the importance and ownership of the canal. His remarks underscore the fact that this is a very important trade route, through which thousands of ships pass every year, and it is a major artery for world trade.
As tensions simmer, the incident reflects Trump's overall view of the world-a strengthening of America's place and challenging international norms. Which of these rhetorics will materialize into palpable change, and which one will remain political theatre, remains to be seen.
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