We're not going to let that happen, okay?
At the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, Donald Trump renewed his long-standing claim that the United States erred gravely in relinquishing the Panama Canal — a waterway that carries five to six percent of global maritime trade and anchors American supply chains. His grievance has sharpened into something more urgent: an allegation that China is now positioning itself to dominate this strategic passage between oceans. The episode illuminates a deeper contest, one in which geography, commerce, and great-power rivalry converge at a narrow strip of water that has always meant more than the ships that cross it.
- Trump declared at a presidential library dedication that China is actively attempting to seize influence over the Panama Canal, framing it as an unacceptable threat to American interests.
- The canal's staggering weight in global commerce — over 13,000 ships annually, hundreds of billions in trade, 40% of U.S. container traffic — makes any shift in its control a matter of economic and strategic consequence far beyond the isthmus itself.
- China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Panama in March and explicitly warned against 'third-party meddling,' signaling Beijing's resolve to deepen ties with Panama regardless of American objections.
- Panama sits uncomfortably between two great powers: absorbing U.S. warnings about Chinese overreach while receiving Chinese assurances of respect for its sovereignty paired with expanding economic investment.
- The standoff has no resolution in sight — Panama holds the canal, China advances its relationship, and the Trump administration has staked a clear position that American influence over the waterway is non-negotiable.
Standing at the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, Donald Trump returned to a grievance he has long carried: the United States, he argued, made a catastrophic error when it transferred the Panama Canal to Panama. The 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties set that handover in motion, and by 1999 Panama held full control. Trump's complaint was both historical and immediate — he alleged that Panama had exploited the transfer by raising transit fees dramatically, and that China is now moving to extend its own influence over the waterway.
The canal's importance is difficult to overstate. Stretching 51 miles and connecting the Atlantic and Pacific, it spares vessels the long detour around South America's southern tip. More than 13,000 ships pass through each year, facilitating hundreds of billions of dollars in trade. For the United States alone, roughly 40 percent of all container traffic transits the canal annually, making it central to American commerce and supply chains.
The geopolitical tension Trump described is real. In March, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi traveled to Panama and met with his Panamanian counterpart, signaling Beijing's intention to deepen practical cooperation. Wang explicitly cautioned against what he called 'third-party meddling' — a pointed reference to American pressure over Chinese-linked infrastructure near the canal. The message was clear: Beijing would not accept Washington dictating the terms of its relationship with Panama City.
What distinguishes Trump's current posture from his earlier complaints is the explicit framing of the canal as a front in the broader U.S.-China rivalry over influence in the Western Hemisphere. Panama, caught between two competing powers, faces pressure from both directions. The situation remains unresolved: Panama retains control, China continues to strengthen its ties with the country, and the Trump administration has made plain that it views the waterway as a matter of American national interest it will not surrender to Beijing's reach.
Donald Trump stood at the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora on Wednesday and returned to a familiar grievance: the United States, he said, made a catastrophic mistake when it handed over the Panama Canal. The strategic waterway, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and handles roughly 5 to 6 percent of global maritime trade, should never have left American hands, Trump argued. His complaint was not merely historical. He alleged that China is now attempting to expand its influence over the canal, and he pledged that Washington would not permit it.
Trump's frustration centered on what he saw as Panama's financial opportunism after assuming full control of the waterway in 1999, following the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties that had transferred management to the Central American nation. "The Panama Canal, so we gave it away," Trump said. "The first thing they did, you know what they did? They raised the prices for the ships by four times, and they didn't lose one ship. And then they raised it again twice, and they didn't lose one ship. All they did was make tremendous amounts of money for years and years. How stupid was that?" He then pivoted to his primary concern: "And now China's trying to take over the Panama Canal, and we're not going to let that happen, okay?"
The canal's strategic importance cannot be overstated. At 51 miles long, it eliminates the need for vessels to navigate around the southern tip of South America, saving enormous time and money for global commerce. More than 13,000 ships pass through annually. The waterway facilitates hundreds of billions of dollars in trade each year and is central to American supply chains—roughly 40 percent of all U.S. container traffic transits the canal annually. Other major users include Chile, China, Japan, and South Korea.
Trump's warnings about Chinese encroachment reflect genuine geopolitical tensions. Earlier this year, in March, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Panama and signaled Beijing's intention to deepen practical cooperation with the country. During meetings with Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha, Wang emphasized that ties between Beijing and Panama City should not be subject to what he called "third-party meddling"—a direct reference to American pressure over Chinese-linked infrastructure projects near the canal. The language was pointed: China was signaling that it would not tolerate U.S. interference in its relationship with Panama.
Trump's desire to reclaim American control over the canal is not new. The Council on Foreign Relations has documented his repeated expressions of this ambition. What distinguishes his recent remarks is the explicit framing of the issue as a competition with China rather than merely a critique of past American policy. The canal has become a flashpoint in the broader U.S.-China rivalry over influence in the Western Hemisphere. Panama, caught between two great powers, faces pressure from both sides—American warnings about Chinese overreach and Chinese assurances that Beijing respects Panamanian sovereignty while deepening economic ties.
The situation remains unresolved. Panama retains control of the canal. China continues to strengthen its relationship with the country. And Trump, now back in the presidency, has made clear that he views the waterway as a matter of American national interest that cannot be ceded to Beijing's influence. What happens next depends on how aggressively the Trump administration pursues its stated intention and how firmly Panama and China resist American pressure.
Citações Notáveis
They raised the prices for the ships by four times, and they didn't lose one ship. All they did was make tremendous amounts of money for years and years.— Donald Trump, on Panama's fee increases after taking control
Ties between Beijing and Panama City should not be subject to third-party meddling.— Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister, in March meeting with Panama
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why does Trump think China is trying to take over the canal? What would that even look like?
He's not claiming a military invasion. It's about economic and strategic influence—Chinese firms operating infrastructure near the canal, deepening commercial ties, the kind of foothold that gives Beijing leverage over a chokepoint that matters to global trade.
But Panama controls the canal now. Doesn't that mean Panama decides who gets access?
Technically yes. But if China becomes Panama's largest trading partner or investor, Beijing gains indirect influence over how the canal operates. That's the American concern—not a flag change, but a shift in whose interests the canal serves.
Trump says Panama raised fees four times. Is that actually a problem?
For shipping companies, yes. For Panama, it's revenue—they own the asset now. Trump sees it as proof that ceding control was foolish. Others see it as Panama exercising sovereignty over its own resource.
What does China actually want from Panama?
Deeper economic ties, access to the canal's operations, a strategic presence in the Western Hemisphere. It's not about owning the canal outright. It's about being too important to ignore.
Can Trump actually do anything about this?
He can pressure Panama diplomatically, threaten economic consequences, make noise internationally. But Panama is sovereign. Without military force—which is off the table—his leverage is limited to economic and political pressure.
So this is really about the U.S. and China competing for influence in Latin America?
Exactly. The canal is just the most visible symbol. It's about which power shapes the region's future.