Overview

• President Donald Trump has instructed the Pentagon to draft options for increasing U.S. military involvement in Panama, including potential control of the Panama Canal.
• The range of options under consideration spans from enhanced security cooperation with Panama to a less likely scenario of direct U.S. control over the canal.
• Trump has repeatedly claimed that the canal's current management undermines U.S. interests, particularly citing concerns about Chinese influence in the region.
• Panama's Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha reaffirmed the nation's commitment to protecting its sovereignty and maintaining control of the canal, which has been under Panamanian authority since 1999.
• The Panama Canal, a critical global trade route, was initially constructed by the U.S. and transferred to Panama following a 1977 treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter.