Panama Rejects Trump's Plan to Retake Canal, Denies China's Control

Jan 20, 2025, 08:29 PM

During his inauguration speech on January 20, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the United States would "take back" the Panama Canal, alleging that China is operating the strategic waterway. Trump emphasized that the canal was given to Panama, not to China, stating, "And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal, and we didn't give it to China, we gave it to Panama. And we're taking it back." In response, Panama's President José Raúl Mulino firmly rejected Trump's remarks, stating that the Panama Canal is and will continue to be under Panamanian control, and that no nation interferes with its administration. Mulino categorically rejected the statements made by Trump, reaffirming Panama's sovereignty over the vital trade route. The exchange has heightened tensions between the two nations amid concerns over China's influence in the region.