In his fifth speech to Congress on Tuesday night 4th March 2025 (the first in his new term), Donald Trump underscored the determination to reclaim the Panama Canal. “We've already started doing it […] The Canal is the most expensive project that was ever built in our country's history if you bring it up to modern-day costs. It was given away by the Carter Administration for $1 but that agreement has been violated very severely. We didn't give it to China, we gave it to Panama. We're taking it back”, he stated confidently.
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Trump explained: “The Panama Canal was built by Americans for Americans not for others, but others could use it. It was built at a tremendous cost of American blood and treasure. 38,000 workers died building the Panama Canal. They died of malaria, they died of snake and mosquitoes. Not a nice place to work. They paid them very highly to go there, knowing there was a 25% chance that they would die.”
Trump has assigned Secretary of State Marco Rubio in charge of the Panama Canal reacquire.
Historically, Colombia, France, and later the United States controlled the territory surrounding the canal during construction. France began work on the canal in 1881, but stopped in 1889. The US took over the project in 1904 and opened the canal in 1914. The US continued to control the canal and surrounding Panama Canal Zone until the Torrijos–Carter Treaties provided for its handover to Panama in 1977. After a period of joint American–Panamanian control, the Panamanian government took control in 1999. It is now managed and operated by the Panamanian government-owned Panama Canal Authority.
Becoming the American President-elect after the election victory late 2024, Donald Trump started to criticize the Panama Canal passage rates being charged by Panama as being too expensive, warn against potential Chinese control of or influence over the canal, and raise the possibility of a US demand for the full and immediate return of control over the canal to the United States.
During his speech at Congress, Donald Trump also directly conveyed a message to Greenland people “We strongly support your right to determine your own future and if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America. We need Greenland for National Security and even International Security.” Trump did not mention the Norwegian government or any specific step toward the “Buying Greenland” scheme.
The USA President did not state anything about the “idea” of Canada being annexed into the USA as raised several times on his social media posts, despite he still jokingly referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeu as “Governor” a few hours before entering the House Chamber for the speech.
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