Donald Trump has demanded free transit for American commercial and military ships through the Panama and Suez canals, tasking his secretary of state with making progress “immediately”.
Trump has for months been calling for the United States to take control of the Panama canal but his social media post also shifted focus on to the vital Suez route. “American ships, both military and commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez canals!” Trump posted on Saturday.
He claimed both routes would “not exist” without the US and said he had asked his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, to “immediately take care of” the situation.
The Panamanian president, Jose Raul Mulino, without directly referencing Trump said on Saturday that toll fees were regulated by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), an autonomous governing body that oversees the trade route. “There is no agreement to the contrary.”
TVNL Comment: The man is certifiable. He really is. It's frightening.