Trump also warns he would not let a ‘vital national asset’ for the US fall into the ‘wrong hands’

Donald Trump has demanded that the Panama Canal be given back to the US if Panama did not manage the waterway in a fashion that was acceptable to him – and he accused the central American country of charging excessive rates for use of the ocean-connecting ship passage.

“The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the US,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform late Saturday, a little more than a month before the start of his second US presidency. “This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop….”

  • PhilipTheBucket@ponder.cat
    181·
    1 day ago

    especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the US

    Like fomenting a revolution and then securing a deal for a canal with the new leaders.

  • just_another_person@lemmy.world
    12·
    1 day ago

    This guy is really trying piss everyone he can off. I guess he didn’t think the first three assassination plots were serious. He’s gonna have a lot more people coming after him soon.

  • Nightwingdragon@lemmy.worldEnglish
    8·
    1 day ago

    I know this is Trump, so things like logic and common sense need not apply. But still…what is he going to do if Panama tells Trump to go pound sand? Is he going to annex Panama? Start a war over it?

    But then again, this is what happens when even world leaders start capitulating to Trump. Mexico is “increasing border security”. Canada just pledged to waste $1.3 billion to fix non-existent “border security” issues just to shut him up. And now he’s hurling random threats at Panama. Panama’s President should have went on Twitter and told Trump where he can shove it. World leaders need to start showing Trump that he was not elected ruler of the world, and forming ties with countries besides the US to send Trump a message. “Mr. Trump, you were elected as President of the US, a position you have not even been sworn in for yet. You were not and will not be elected the President of Panama. Panama will continue to oversee the Panama Canal as we see fit without foreign interference, regardless of the wishes of the US or any other foreign power.”

    And how does this even make sense anyway? If Panama feels legitimately threatened by Trump’s statements, doesn’t this just increase the chance that Panama will ally itself with a country such as China for protection, putting control of the canal exactly where Trump doesn’t want it to be?

    This is going to be a long, long administration. And we’re only on day -29. Imagine what he’s going to be like when he actually has power to wield. This man is going to single-handedly destroy the soft power that the US has been building up for a century by basically going out of his way to piss off every US ally possible.

    • Rhaedas@fedia.io
      14·
      1 day ago

      We went from “speak softly and carry a big stick” to “yell incoherently and my hands have trouble holding a water bottle”.

    • dragontamer@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      1 day ago

      Mexico is just as pissed at Guatemalan and Venezuelan migrants as the USA, is not more so.

      Remember that Mexico has had such a booming economy that net-migrants are emigrating (leaving US) and returning to Mexico for ~the last decade or so.

      That’s what’s so stupid about Trump’s plan vs Biden plan. Biden was working on building Mexico’s southern border to help stop migrants, helping both of our countries. Trump on the other hand is too stupid to figure out this simple solution.