President Donald Trump vowed again that the United States would take back the Panama Canal as he delivered an inauguration speech in which he invoked the 19th century expansionist doctrine of "Manifest Destiny."
Doubling down on his pre-inauguration threat to reimpose U.S. control over the canal, Trump again accused Panama of breaking the promises it made for the final transfer of the strategic waterway in 1999 and of ceding its operation to China - claims that the Panamanian government has vehemently denied.
"We didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we're taking it back," Trump said. He gave no further details on when or how he intended to do that but had previously refused to rule out possible use of military force, which drew criticism from Washington's Latin American friends and foes alike.
Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino on Monday responded on X that his country has administered the canal responsibly for world trade, including for the U.S., and that it "is and will continue to be Panamanian."
Trump's reiteration of his threat about the Panama Canal as he began his second term was his most blatant mention of an agenda for territorial expansion that he has laid out in recent weeks.
In the run-up to his inauguration, he had also said he wanted to acquire Greenland, portraying the overseas Danish territory as crucial for U.S. national security interests, and mused about turning Canada into a U.S. state.
In Monday's speech, Trump also repeated his promise to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
Trump said the U.S. had "foolishly" given the Panama Canal to Panama.
The United States largely built the canal and administered territory surrounding the passage for decades. But the United States and Panama signed a pair of accords in 1977 that paved the way for the canal's return to full Panamanian control. The United States handed it over in 1999 after a period of joint administration.
"We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift that should have never been made, and Panama's promise to us has been broken. The purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated," Trump said.
He said U.S. ships are "being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form."
Panama has insisted that it treats fairly all vessels that transit the canal, and has said China has no control over its administration. China does not control or administer the canal, but a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings has long managed two ports located on the canal's Caribbean and Pacific entrances.
(Reuters)