Newly installed President Donald Trump said the quiet part glaringly (and frankly terrifyingly) loud when he spoke with reporters on the tarmac over the weekend and made it crystal clear that the United States will take back the Panama Canal under his reign, or “something very powerful is going to happen.”
As he stepped off Air Force One at Joint Andrews Airbase last night, Trump left nothing to the imagination when it came to his commitment to take the canal from Panama, once again citing his claims that the waterway is under Chinese control and being used against the United States of America.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio paid a visit to Panama in person over the weekend, where he personally told the country’s leadership that they have two choices — take immediate action to terminate China’s control and influence over the waterway, or face the wrath and backlash from the United States, spearheaded by President Donald Trump.
Trump then personally told reporters that “something very powerful is going to happen” if Panama fails to essentially hand the US the canal on a silver platter.
Donald Trump told reporters on the tarmac last night:
Secretary of State Rubio is in Panama — Panama right now. And we’re talking about the Panama Canal. What they’ve done is terrible. They violated the agreement. They are not allowed to violate the agreement. China is running the Panama Canal. That was not given to China. That was given to Panama, foolishly. But they violated the agreement. And we’re going to take it back or something very powerful is going to happen.”
In the past, President Trump has indicated that he is not against using economic control and even military force to pressure Panama into handing over control of the waterway.
You can watch the clip of Trump’s remarks here:
Trump on the Panama Canal: “We’re gonna take it back, or something very powerful is going to happen.” pic.twitter.com/dB9MNa8dfz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 3, 2025
Featured image via screen capture