U.S. President Trump advocates for unrestricted navigation by American vessels through the Panama and Suez canals.
The Unstoppable Trump
Donald Trump - king of Twitter, former POTUS, and now, the vocal advocate for FREE PASSAGE of American ships through the Panama and Suez canals. In true Trump style, he recently took to his Truth Social network to shake things up, bringing critical commercial and naval waterways into the spotlight.
After setting his sights on Chinese port operators around the Panama Canal upon his return to the White House, Trump's latest post on Saturday pointed a finger at the Suez Canal, linking the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. "Yo, those waterways wouldn't even EXIST without the U.S.A.!" Trump boomed, nudging his Secretary of State Marco Rubio to "take care of it NOW, buddy!"
The Panama Canal, a favorite stomping ground for the U.S. and China, has been a focal point for Trump. With tariffs, proposed fees at U.S. ports, and clamping down on Chinese commercial shipping and shipbuilding, the ultimate goal is to revive good old American shipbuilding. The U.S. government argues that China, with its unfair dominance in ship construction, is a borderline pirate, causing quite a ruckus for American interests.
Commercial shipbuilding in the U.S. has gone from buzzing like a wild hive in the '80s to a depressing smokestack ghost town, thanks to subsidy cuts and foreign competition. But no miracle has ever come without a good, old-fashioned fight, right Trump?
In February, Panama promised to give U.S. warships free passage through the canal, after Trump called out Chinese influence over the waterway and threatened to take it back. A plan by CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd. to sell its Panamanian port assets to a consortium led by Blackrock took a hit, facing resistance from China and a financial dispute with Panama.
Now, let's take a peek at what's happening behind the curtain. According to recent reports, the U.S. has been stepping up its game in the Panama Canal scene, with security agreements, infrastructure investments, and troop rotations to protect their sovereignty. They're not afraid to flex their muscles to combat Chinese influence, and they ain't afraid to show it.
Remember, my friends, this is just another chapter in the whirlwind saga of U.S.-China relations, and it's a dog-eat-dog world out there. Stay tuned for more updates on this nail-biting competition!
- Donald Trump, the former POTUS, is advocating for free passage of American ships through the Panama and Suez canals, linking the issue to Chinese port operators and Chinese influence over these waterways.
- Marco Rubio, Trump's Secretary of State, was urged by Trump to "take care of it NOW," referring to the Suez Canal issue in Trump's latest post on Truth Social.
- The Panama Canal has been a focal point for Trump, with efforts to revive American shipbuilding through tariffs, proposed fees at U.S. ports, and clamping down on Chinese commercial shipping and shipbuilding.
- The U.S. government views China's dominance in ship construction as unfair and detrimental to American interests, comparing China to a borderline pirate.
- Recent reports indicate that the U.S. is increasing its presence in the Panama Canal scene, with security agreements, infrastructure investments, and troop rotations to combat Chinese influence and protect their sovereignty.
