Trump Threatens to Regain Panama Canal Control

During a rally in Arizona, President-elect Donald Trump proposed that the United States should regain control of the Panama Canal, which was ceded to Panama in 1999. He expressed concerns over 'ridiculous' fees charged by Panama for passage and warned against potential Chinese influence over the canal. Trump's comments prompted a strong rejection from Panama's President José Raúl Mulino, who asserted that every inch of the canal belongs to Panama and emphasized the nation's sovereignty. Mulino also defended the canal's fee structure and assured that it is not under foreign control, dismissing Trump's remarks as distortions. Despite the tension, Mulino expressed hope for a respectful relationship with the incoming U.S. administration. The canal remains critical to U.S. maritime trade, handling around 12,000 vessel transits annually.