Since returning to the White House in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has been pressuring for the removal of Chinese port operators near the Panama Canal. On Saturday, through a post on his social media platform Truth Social, he shifted attention to the Suez Canal as well.
Trump demanded that U.S. military and commercial ships be granted free passage through both the Panama and Suez Canals. He reiterated his commitment to expanding U.S. influence over global trade and maritime transportation, according to Newsweek.
Trump argued that these canals would not exist without U.S. support and assigned Secretary of State Marco Rubio to handle the matter. His initiative mainly targets curbing China’s dominance in shipping and shipbuilding industries, while revitalizing America’s own maritime industries. Although Trump claimed that China “controls” the Panama Canal, in reality, while China is a major user, it does not manage the canal.
Responding to Trump’s comments, Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino clarified that the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), an autonomous body, is solely responsible for setting tolls and managing the canal. He stressed that no agreements exist to alter this arrangement.
Earlier this month, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Panama and proposed that American warships be allowed “priority and free” transit through the canal. He also suggested re-deploying U.S. troops to safeguard the canal, a proposal that the Panamanian government immediately rejected.
Currently, the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal — two vital maritime trade routes — are at the center of international tensions. While the U.S. and China are the main users of the Panama Canal, instability in the Middle East has also affected the Suez Canal. Following the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza conflict, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen began attacking commercial ships linked to countries opposing Palestine. As a result, many ships are now rerouting around the southern tip of Africa, increasing both time and costs.
Egypt reported that Suez Canal revenues dropped by 60% in 2024, resulting in a $7 billion loss.