President-elect Donald Trump has launched a fierce critique of the Panama Canal, accusing Panama of charging 바카라ridiculous바카라 fees for US ships passing through the vital waterway. In a post on his Truth Social platform Saturday, Trump threatened to demand the canal be returned to US control if Panama fails to ensure its operation is fair and secure.
Trump, who will formally assume office next month, expressed his concerns over what he described as unfair practices, particularly regarding the financial burden placed on American maritime interests.
바카라The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous,바카라 Trump wrote. 바카라This complete 바카라rip-off바카라 of our Country will immediately stop.바카라
He also warned that Panama바카라s handling of the canal was potentially opening the door to growing Chinese influence in the region, a development he sees as a threat to US national and economic interests. Trump emphasized that the canal should not be managed by China or any other foreign power, suggesting that US control may be necessary to prevent such an outcome. 바카라It was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else,바카라 he stated.
The Panama Canal, a crucial maritime route for global trade, connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and serves as a vital shortcut for ships, particularly those traveling between Asia and the US East Coast. An estimated 5 percent of global maritime traffic transits through the canal. The waterway, completed by the US in 1914, was fully handed over to Panama in 1999 under an agreement with the US government, following years of joint administration.
Known for his bellicose rhetoric and often unconventional approach to international relations, Trump has shown a willingness to challenge even close allies when he feels US interests are at stake.
In his Truth Social post, Trump highlighted the historical generosity of the US in building the canal and later transferring control to Panama. 바카라It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama,바카라 he wrote. 바카라If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question.바카라
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The Panama Canal Authority reported record revenues of nearly $5 billion in the last fiscal year, AFP reported. However, the canal바카라s financial success underscores its importance to global trade and the United States, which remains one of its primary users alongside China, Japan, and South Korea.
In the coming weeks, as President Biden바카라s administration winds down, Trump바카라s calls for a more assertive US foreign policy are expected to intensify, with a focus on securing American economic interests and confronting perceived foreign encroachments on US power.
