Panama Rejects Trump’s Claims About Reclaiming Canal

Panama's president refutes U.S. President Trump's assertions while a Hong Kong firm sells canal ports to a U.S.-led consortium.

Panama's President José Raúl Mulino dismissed Donald Trump's claim that the U.S. would 'reclaim' the Panama Canal, affirming the nation's sovereignty over the waterway.
Trump's remarks during his congressional address inaccurately suggested U.S. efforts to regain control of the canal, which Panama has fully managed since 1999.
The Hong Kong-based Hutchison Holdings announced the sale of its 90% stake in two canal ports, Cristóbal and Balboa, to a consortium led by BlackRock for $19 billion.
Hutchison emphasized that the transaction is purely commercial and unrelated to political tensions or Trump's recent comments about Chinese influence on the canal.
The Panama Canal remains a critical trade route under Panama's exclusive control, with its neutrality and accessibility guaranteed by a 1977 U.S.-Panama treaty.