Trump’s Panama Canal Chaos
Trump’s Threats to Reclaim the Panama Canal Stir Controversy and Public Unrest
During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump frequently emphasized the need for the U.S. to withdraw from international agreements and reduce its military presence abroad. Once in office, he promoted the idea of Manifest Destiny, asserting that American expansion was both justified and unavoidable. This stance has sometimes led to confrontations with allies.
This week, investigative reporters reveal how the Trump administration’s threats to take back control of the Panama Canal—claimed to be under Chinese influence—are triggering protests and undermining stability in Panama, a long-standing U.S. partner. Trump has even implied that military action might be necessary to regain control from China.
“China is operating the Panama Canal, and we didn’t hand it over to China; we handed it to Panama, and now we’re taking it back,” Trump stated in January.
Many Panamanians are puzzled by these allegations, questioning China’s supposed dominance over the canal. Jorge Luis Quijano, who managed the canal from 2012 to 2019, remarked, “We just said, wow, how many people can be wrong about Chinese influence over the Panama Canal?”
These threats also evoke painful memories of the 1989 U.S. invasion, which resulted in approximately 500 Panamanian casualties, highlighting longstanding tensions.
For broader context, host Al Letson discusses with Mother Jones journalist David Corn, author of American Psychosis, how the U.S. has historically used control over the canal as a political tool, from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump. Additionally, Emma Ashford, a foreign policy analyst at the Stimson Center, explains Panama’s role within Trump’s larger international strategy.