A cargo ship and tugboat sail through the Cocoli Locks at the Panama Canal, in Panama, on August 12, 2024. (Photo by ARNULFO FRANCO/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN Staff Blake Wolf 8:44 AM – Sunday, April 27, 2025
President Donald Trump asserted on Saturday that American military and cargo ships should travel through the Panama Canal and Suez Canal for free.
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The Panama Canal was built by the United States starting in 1904, and was ceded to Panama by former President Jimmy Carter in 1977.
“American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals! Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America. I’ve asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately take care of, and memorialize, this situation!” Trump wrote.
American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals! Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America. I’ve asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately take care of, and…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) April 26, 2025
Last December, President Trump accused China of having major influence over the management of the Panama Canal, while accusing Panama officials of charging the United States “exorbitant prices.”
“When President Jimmy Carter foolishly gave it away, for One Dollar, during his term in Office, it was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else. It was likewise not given for Panama to charge the United States, its Navy, and corporations, doing business within our Country, exorbitant prices and rates of passage…The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S.,” Trump wrote at the time.
The Panama Canal plays a critical role in connecting the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean, while the Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
“The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s Economy and National Security. A secure Panama Canal is crucial for U.S. Commerce, and rapid deployment of the Navy, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and drastically cuts shipping times to U.S. ports. The United States is the number one user of the Canal, with over 70 percent of all transits heading to, or from, U.S. ports,” Trump added.
The president has repeatedly expressed his interest in “taking back” the canal while previously refusing to rule out economic or military force to do so, although President Trump’s new proposal of allowing U.S. ships to pass through for free may alter his previous stance.
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