Trump demands Panama lower Canal fees or return it to US
Trump demands Panama lower Canal fees or return it to US
In a post on social media, the incoming US President Donald Trump described fees charged to use the key shipping lane as a "complete 'rip-off.'" He also warned of it falling into the "wrong hands."
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/23416568
Summary
Donald Trump criticized Panama Canal fees as “ridiculous” and demanded lower costs or the canal’s return to the US.
In a Truth Social post, Trump also expressed concern about potential Chinese influence over the waterway, despite no direct Chinese control of canal operations.
The canal, transferred to Panama in 1999, is vital for global trade, handling 5% of maritime traffic.
Trump’s comments follow record revenues of $5 billion announced by the Panama Canal Authority. Panama has not yet responded to his statements.
take-backsies as the basis for foreign policy
Panama has not yet responded to his statements.
Hopefully they just ignore him. And hopefully other countries start doing that too.
No government ahould be compelled to respond to Truth Social posts.
No civilized person should be compelled to listen to Trump's whiny gob.
Yeah, best case scenario is that the rest of the world starts to consciously uncouple from the US, taking away the ability of the incoming fascist government to strongarm "allies" into doing and saying everything they want or suffer financial and diplomatic ruin.
It's already happening. If Trump attempts to go Neville Chamberlain on Ukraine, the Europeans (at least a large group of them) are willing to tell him to fuck off.
Panama should respond,
"In response to Trump's statement, Panama will talk with Putin about the possibility of a Russian military base to be built in Panama to safeguard free trade from interference from President Trump."
Trump can't get angry at his daddy Putin.
I hate Putin but God please this happen because it would he so funny
Interesting, the fees can almost be directly compared to his tariffs, as in its a government mandated fee on top of goods/ships crossing the border/canal.... and Trump does not like them 😅
Sir, do you have the original receipt?
Probably not, since the US essentially stole it.
US wanted to build a canal. The place they wanted to build it was part of Colombia. US backs a secession of the Central American portion of Columbia, creating the nation of Panama. Panama grants the US a 99-year lease on the Canal Zone. US builds canal.
I think it's time to start blocking news about US politics.
An empty feed, eh?
Everybody laughing at this guy, but actual real people, and families, that are alive today, won't be this time next year, because of the insane shit Trump and his cadre of incompetents will foist on the world with their purposefully unworkable foreign policies. You don't do this, or nominate any of Trumps barrel bottoms in the first place, if you want a functioning ChristoFascist government, you do this because you want to get away with something else while everyone is distracted.
The US has elected Beavis and Butt-Head.
Bravos and Butthead had more charm.
Just double the fees for all US shipping for the next four years.
The asshole isn't president yet and the extortions and shakedowns have already started
Someone should convince him that it's a good idea to just build a canal through the US.
Yeah, but then he's going to want to build another wall...
Back when the atom bomb was still new, people dreamed how easy it would make earthworks.
The US still has thousands of nuclear warheads…
Ok but can we line them all up in advance and blow them all up at once? Film the whole thing from space.
This seems like something Elon Musk could be manipulated to back.
Hyperloop through the US.