U.S. President Donald Trump has called for American vessels to be allowed free passage through the Panama and Suez canals, asserting that these strategic routes owe their existence to the United States.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump stated, “American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals.”
He further claimed, “Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America.”
Trump directed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “immediately take care of, and memorialize, this situation.”
National Security Advisor Michael Waltz echoed Trump’s position on the Panama Canal, arguing that the U.S. should not have to pay to use a passage it constructed.
The Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the Suez Canal, linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas, are crucial maritime passages.
Both canals charge substantial fees for transit, which can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the size of the vessel and cargo.
The U.S. has long sought to limit China’s influence over the Panama Canal, a route originally constructed by the U.S. over 120 years ago.
Control of the canal was handed to Panama in 1999.
In a significant move, Panama withdrew from China’s Belt and Road Initiative in February, following U.S. diplomatic pressure.