Overview

• President Trump has instructed the Pentagon to create plans for securing U.S. access to the Panama Canal, citing concerns over national security and alleged Chinese influence.
• Strategies under consideration range from strengthening partnerships with Panama's military to the less likely scenario of seizing the canal by force.
• Panama's government has rejected Trump's claims of foreign interference and reaffirmed its sovereignty over the canal, which it has operated since 1999 under a treaty with the U.S.
• The directive follows a recent $23 billion deal where U.S.-based BlackRock acquired ports at both ends of the canal from a Hong Kong conglomerate, a move Trump referenced as part of the reclamation effort.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to visit Panama next month, with discussions expected to include increasing U.S. troop presence and addressing regional security concerns.