Trump has no intention of bringing in the military to resolve the Panama Canal situation

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Feb. 2 that the U.S. military would not be needed to resolve the Panama Canal situation.

"I don't think troops will be needed in Panama <...>. 70% of the signage on the Panama Canal was written in Chinese. That's wrong, it wasn't meant for China, it shouldn't have been done," he said during a briefing broadcast by Fox News television.

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Earlier, on Dec. 22, 2024, Trump said the U.S. would demand the return of control of the Panama Canal if the Central American republic did not renegotiate the terms of its use.

On January 20, Trump reiterated the thesis at his inauguration that the Panama Canal is "run" by China and therefore the U.S. intends to "take back" the waterway. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino again rejected the Republican's statements on the subject and emphasized the canal's ownership of his country.

Bloomberg reported on January 23 that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to visit Pan ama following Trump's promises to take back control of the Panama Canal.

During a meeting with Mulino on Feb. 2, Rubio said that Trump has no intention of maintaining the status quo in the Panama Canal due to China's increased influence in the region. Rubio called the corresponding state of affairs unacceptable and Washington will have to take the necessary defense measures in case the situation does not change. In turn, Mulino stated his refusal to extend the agreement with China within the framework of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative.