President-elect Donald Trump recently threatened to take back control of the Panama Canal.
As per Reuters, he criticized Panama for charging high fees for using the Panama Canal.
Trump, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, stated that he would not allow the Panama Canal to be controlled by “the wrong hands.”
The 78-years-old specifically expressed concerns about the possibility of China having control over the canal.
He added, “The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S.”
Trump further added, “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."
United States played a major role in building the Panama Canal and managing the surrounding area for many years.
In 1999, the US gave complete control of the canal to Panama after a time of shared administration between the two countries.
However, the Panamanian embassy in Washington, DC did not provide any response.
