Panama City, Panama – On February 1, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Panama for his debut trip abroad, following President Donald Trump’s extraordinary threat to seize the Panama Canal. Rubio’s mission coincides with Trump’s imposition of steep tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, signaling a more aggressive US foreign policy.
Rubio will later visit four other small Latin American countries, focusing on migration. Trump has not ruled out military force to reclaim the Panama Canal, which the US handed over in 1999, citing China’s influence through investments in surrounding ports.
In his inaugural address, Trump stated that the US would be “taking it back” and reiterated this stance on January 31. Rubio is set to tour the Panama Canal and meet President Jose Raul Mulino on February 2. Mulino, an ally of the US, has ruled out negotiations, asserting that “the canal is Panama’s.”
The Trump administration’s aggressive foreign policy extends to recent firings at the United States Agency for International Development, described as a “purge” by US media. The State Department has also altered its travel advisory language, removing references to trans people.
Experts believe Trump’s threat may be a pressure tactic, with Rubio downplaying the military option but not contradicting his boss. The Panama Canal remains a crucial link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, with 40% of US container traffic passing through it.