Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to retake the Panama Canal, resulting in outrage from critics.
Trump on Saturday took to his own social media site, Truth Social, to issue a threat to local Panama officials about the famous Panama Canal.
Of the Panama Canal, the president elect said, “We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands!”
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“It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama,” Trump then added. “If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question. To the Officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly!”
Critics were quick to weigh in on X.
Former prosecutor Ron Filipkowski said, “Trump is now apparently going to invade Panama and seize the canal after he conquers Canada and makes it the 51st state.”
Popular liberal influencer Decoding Fox News said,
“Donald J. Trump: No More Wars!
Panama – Give us back the Panama Canal!
Canada – We’ll just annex your whole country!
Mexico – I’m sending the U.S. military in to destroy the drug cartels!
Middle East (Multiple countries) – We will crush you!
Ukraine – Russia can take it.”
Author and editor James Surowiecki said, “Trump playing an old-school right-wing tune here, threatening to take back the Panama Canal.”
“Just funny that even here, Trump feels the need to lie to sell his story – the actual number of Americans who died during the construction of the canal was around 6000, not 38,000,” he added.
Foreign policy analyst Emma Ashford chimed in, “I’ve been trying to persuade folks for a while now that Trump is serious about a return to the Monroe Doctrine, but even I didn’t have ‘Trump demands return of Panama Canal as early Christmas present’ on my bingo card.”
