Trump threatens to retake Panama Canal in Truth Social post

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President-elect Donald Trump has made a bold statement on Truth Social, indicating that he may seek to reclaim control of the Panama Canal.

Trump claimed that Panama was taking advantage of American ships by imposing "outrageous fees" for access to the crucial waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

If it weren't for this, vessels would have to take a much longer route around the treacherous Cape Horn in South America.

Trump was talking about the 1977 agreement regarding the canal's ownership, which handed over control of the canal from the United States to Panama as the 20th century came to a close.

It was regarded as one of President Jimmy Carter's most significant achievements, yet Trump criticized the 39th president for what he deemed a “foolish decision to sell it for just a dollar.”

“Our Navy and trade have been treated very unjustly,” Trump expressed. “The charges imposed by Panama are outrageous, especially considering the immense generosity the U.S. has shown to Panama.”

"If the ethical and legal foundations of this generous act of sharing are not respected, we will insist that the Panama Canal be returned to us completely and unconditionally," he emphatically stated.

The charges to navigate through the canal vary significantly, starting at just $0.50 and going all the way up to $300,000, based on the size of the ships.

The reason behind Trump's sudden comments about the canal wasn't clear right away.

According to the statistics, the United States makes the most use of the canal, with China and Japan coming after it.

At the start of this year, a drought led officials to reduce the number of ships passing through the canal by 36 percent, affecting international trade paths.