US President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that American military and commercial vessels should be allowed free passage through the Panama and Suez Canals.
“I’ve asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately take care of, and memorialize, this situation,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The Panama Canal, which spans the narrowest section of the isthmus between North and South America, enables ships to travel faster between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It handles around 40% of US container traffic annually.
The US completed the canal’s construction in the early 20th century but transferred control of the crucial waterway to Panama in 1999.
Trump has frequently expressed his desire to “take back” the canal. Before taking office in January, he told reporters that he wouldn’t rule out using economic or military force to regain control over the canal.
