President Donald Trump reportedly instructed the U.S. military to draw up plans to increase U.S. troop presence in the Panama Canal, NBC News reported Thursday.
The U.S. Southern Command will allegedly consider several options, from further partnership with the Panamanian government all the way to a potential seizure of the canal, two officials with knowledge of the planning told NBC News. Trump reiterated his pledge to reclaim the canal in his joint address to congress Mar. 6, saying his administration would regain control of the vital shipping lane to “further enhance our national security.”
“The Panama Canal was built by Americans for Americans, not for others, but others could use it. But it was built at tremendous cost of American blood and treasure,” Trump said in his address. “It was given away by the Carter administration for $1, but that agreement has been violated very severely. We didn’t give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.”
The use of military force to take the canal would be unlikely, and would reportedly depend on whether or not the Panamanian military continues to cooperate with the U.S., according to the officials.
Panamanian President Mulino has responded to Trump’s threats, saying that the canal “belongs to Panama and will continue to belong to Panama,” denying that it was a “concession or a gift from the United States.”
During Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Panama Feb. 2, he made clear to Panama’s leaders that “the current position of influence and control of the Chinese Communist Party over the Panama Canal” was not acceptable. In response to the Trump administration’s pressure, Mulino said that Panama would not be renewing its agreement to participate in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, China’s global infrastructure investment project, which the nation officially joined in 2017.
China has increased their presence in the canal substantially since Carter passed the shipping route to Panama in 1977, with China’s Landbridge Group acquiring Panama’s largest Atlantic port, Margarita Island, for $900 million in 2016.
Moreover, Panama gave a 25-year no-bid renewal to the Hong Kong-based Hutchison Ports to continue to operate two separate ports on the canal, covering both Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. However, American investment firm Blackrock agreed to purchase the ports from the China-based firm on Mar. 5 for $22.8 billion.
China has denied any foreign interference in the canal’s operation, saying the U.S. was using “coercion” to block Chinese projects in the canal, according to the Associated Press.
The Pentagon, U.S. Southern Command and the Panama Canal Authority did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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