President-elect Donald Trump issued a strongly worded statement on his Truth Social account today, calling the Panama Canal a “vital national asset” for the United States and asserting that current management practices are unfairly burdening the U.S. economy and military. Trump expressed dissatisfaction with what he described as “exorbitant prices and rates of passage” imposed on American naval and commercial use of the canal, which he emphasized was originally built at “HUGE cost to the United States in lives and treasure.”
In his post, Trump highlighted the canal’s strategic importance for U.S. commerce and national security, noting its role in drastically reducing shipping times and facilitating rapid naval deployment between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. According to Trump, over 70% of Panama Canal traffic is linked to U.S. ports, underscoring its critical economic impact.
Trump also revisited the history of the canal, originally constructed under President Theodore Roosevelt’s administration, and sharply criticized former President Jimmy Carter for transferring control of the canal to Panama in 1977 under the Panama Canal Treaty. He suggested that this decision had led to its management falling into hands that do not prioritize U.S. interests.
“The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous,” Trump wrote, accusing the Panamanian government of failing to uphold the “moral and legal” principles underlying the canal’s transfer. He warned that the United States “will never let it fall into the wrong hands” and floated the possibility of reclaiming control of the canal if current practices are not revised.
Trump’s statement also issued a direct message to Panamanian officials: “To the Officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly!”
The post comes at a time of heightened global focus on strategic waterways, with the Panama Canal facing operational challenges due to ongoing drought conditions that have affected transit capacity. Trump’s remarks are likely to spark debate over the geopolitical and economic implications of U.S.-Panama relations regarding the canal.
Opened in 1914, the Panama Canal is regarded as one of the “Wonders of the Modern World” for its engineering achievement. The canal was managed by the U.S. until its administration was formally transferred to Panama in 1999, in accordance with the Panama Canal Treaty signed in 1977. The canal remains a critical conduit for international trade, with the U.S. as its largest user.
