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2mo ago

Trump Directs Pentagon to Explore Military Options for Panama Canal

The White House has tasked the U.S. military with developing strategies to ensure access to the Panama Canal, including potential troop increases or forceful measures.

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A cargo ship transits through Panama Canal Cocoli locks in Panama City on February 21, 2025.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (fourth from the left) talks to Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez Morales (second from the left) during a tour at the Miraflores locks of the Panama Canal in Panama City on February 2, 2025.

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.