Trump threatens to take back control of Panama Canal

[Pelle Svanslös]

United States President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to demand
control of the Panama Canal after accusing Panama of charging excessive
rates on US ships passing through one of the busiest waterways in the world.

“Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and
injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous,” Trump
posted on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.

“This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop.”

The US largely built the canal in 1914 and administrated territory
surrounding the passage for decades. But Washington fully handed control
of the canal to Panama in 1999 after a period of joint administration.

Trump also hinted at China’s growing influence around the canal, which
connects the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans.

“It was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else,” he
said. “We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands!”

The post was an exceedingly rare example of a US leader saying he could
push a sovereign country to hand over territory.

“It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of
cooperation with us and Panama. If the moral and legal principles of
this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand
that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question,”
Trump said.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/22/trump-threatens-to-take-back-control-of-panama-canal-over-ridiculous-fees

If Panama and Gina are friendskies, I think it's only fair that Gina has
a say on who gets to pay. What's Twump going to do about it? Start a ...
WAR?

[Pelle Svanslös]

Post by Pelle Svanslös
United States President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to demand
control of the Panama Canal after accusing Panama of charging excessive
rates on US ships passing through one of the busiest waterways in the world.
“Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and
injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous,” Trump
posted on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.
“This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop.”
The US largely built the canal in 1914 and administrated territory
surrounding the passage for decades. But Washington fully handed control
of the canal to Panama in 1999 after a period of joint administration.
Trump also hinted at China’s growing influence around the canal, which
connects the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans.
“It was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else,” he
said. “We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands!”
The post was an exceedingly rare example of a US leader saying he could
push a sovereign country to hand over territory.
“It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of
cooperation with us and Panama. If the moral and legal principles of
this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand
that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question,”
Trump said.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/22/trump-threatens-to-take-back-control-of-panama-canal-over-ridiculous-fees
If Panama and Gina are friendskies, I think it's only fair that Gina has
a say on who gets to pay. What's Twump going to do about it? Start a ...
WAR?

Well, it's beginning to look like it. The felon said he's going to take
the canal back. He didn't say he's going to negotiate or play a round of
poker over it. He said "take".

Very belligerent. If I was a wig in Panama, I'd be off to Beijing for
some missiles and close the canal for US vessels as a security measure.
Pronto prontissimo. And maybe sign a mutual aid agreement with Kim.

[PeteWasLucky]

On 22/12/2024 17.06, Pelle Svanslös wrote:> United States President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to demand > control of the Panama Canal after accusing Panama of charging excessive > rates on US ships passing through one of the busiest waterways in the > world.> > “Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and > injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous,” Trump > posted on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.> > “This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop.”> > The US largely built the canal in 1914 and administrated territory > surrounding the passage for decades. But Washington fully handed control > of the canal to Panama in 1999 after a period of joint administration.> > Trump also hinted at China’s growing influence around the canal, which > connects the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans.> > “It was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else,” he > said. “We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands!”> > The post was an exceedingly rare example of a US leader saying he could > push a sovereign country to hand over territory.> > “It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of > cooperation with us and Panama. If the moral and legal principles of > this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand > that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question,” > Trump said.> > https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/22/trump-threatens-to-take-back-control-of-panama-canal-over-ridiculous-fees> > If Panama and Gina are friendskies, I think it's only fair that Gina has > a say on who gets to pay. What's Twump going to do about it? Start a ... > WAR?Well, it's beginning to look like it. The felon said he's going to take the canal back. He didn't say he's going to negotiate or play a round of poker over it. He said "take".Very belligerent. If I was a wig in Panama, I'd be off to Beijing for some missiles and close the canal for US vessels as a security measure. Pronto prontissimo. And maybe sign a mutual aid agreement with Kim.-- “We need to acknowledge he let us down. He went down a path he shouldn’t have, and we shouldn’t have followed him. We shouldn’t have listened to him, and we can’t let that happen ever again”.-- Nikki Haley

Trump's talking language is his wishes and threats. I still have
to see him follow through any of them.

[Sawfish]

Post by PeteWasLucky

On 22/12/2024 17.06, Pelle Svanslös wrote:> United States President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to demand > control of the Panama Canal after accusing Panama of charging excessive > rates on US ships passing through one of the busiest waterways in the > world.> > “Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and > injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous,” Trump > posted on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.> > “This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop.”> > The US largely built the canal in 1914 and administrated territory > surrounding the passage for decades. But Washington fully handed control > of the canal to Panama in 1999 after a period of joint administration.> > Trump also hinted at China’s growing influence around the canal, which > connects the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans.> > “It was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else,” he > said. “We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands!”> > The post was an exceedingly rare example of a US leader saying he could > push a sovereign country to hand over territory.> > “It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of > cooperation with us and Panama. If the moral and legal principles of > this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand > that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question,” > Trump said.> > https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/22/trump-threatens-to-take-back-control-of-panama-canal-over-ridiculous-fees> > If Panama and Gina are friendskies, I think it's only fair that Gina has > a say on who gets to pay. What's Twump going to do about it? Start a ... > WAR?Well, it's beginning to look like it. The felon said he's going to take the canal back. He didn't say he's going to negotiate or play a round of poker over it. He said "take".Very belligerent. If I was a wig in Panama, I'd be off to Beijing for some missiles and close the canal for US vessels as a security measure. Pronto prontissimo. And maybe sign a mutual aid agreement with Kim.-- “We need to acknowledge he let us down. He went down a path he shouldn’t have, and we shouldn’t have followed him. We shouldn’t have listened to him, and we can’t let that happen ever again”.-- Nikki Haley

Trump's talking language is his wishes and threats. I still have
to see him follow through any of them.

Same here.

It's bluff/bluster until he actually *does* something.

--
--Sawfish
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If there's one thing I can't stand, it's intolerance."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[jdeluise]

Post by PeteWasLucky
Trump's talking language is his wishes and threats. I still have
to see him follow through any of them.

But this time around he doesn't have to worry about laws, the
constitution, or any other "coequal" branch of government.

[TT]

Post by jdeluise

Post by PeteWasLucky
Trump's talking language is his wishes and threats. I still have
 to see him follow through any of them.

But this time around he doesn't have to worry about laws, the
constitution, or any other "coequal" branch of government.

Was quite a day.

Trump really not wasting time. Some good things, some questionable.

Tariff committee - bad
Tik tok extension - ok
Panama - ridiculous
Illegal immigrant stuff - good
Quitting green new deal & Paris accord, drill baby drill - good & bad
Withdrawing from WHO - Probably bad

What am I forgetting... Melania's hat? Scamming the public with Trump &
Melania cryptos? No direct mention on Ukraine?

Anyway, Trump spent half the time of his speech lambasting Biden's
administration, which was really poor form for the occasion & Biden
sitting few feet away. There's something seriously wrong mentally with
this guy.

Then Trump undid everything from Biden's term with executive orders. Did
same to Obama, just not in front of his face at inauguration.

[TT]

Post by TT

Post by jdeluise

Post by PeteWasLucky
Trump's talking language is his wishes and threats. I still have
 to see him follow through any of them.

But this time around he doesn't have to worry about laws, the
constitution, or any other "coequal" branch of government.

Was quite a day.
Trump really not wasting time. Some good things, some questionable.
Tariff committee - bad
Tik tok extension - ok
Panama - ridiculous
Illegal immigrant stuff - good
Quitting green new deal & Paris accord, drill baby drill - good & bad
Withdrawing from WHO - Probably bad

Cancelling DEI - excellent!

[Pelle Svanslös]

Post by jdeluise

Post by PeteWasLucky
Trump's talking language is his wishes and threats. I still have
 to see him follow through any of them.

But this time around he doesn't have to worry about laws, the
constitution, or any other "coequal" branch of government.

Or getting reëlected.

In the first season, the felon settled for the Korean peninsula
"de-nuking" types of third world autocrat displays in return. Will he
settle for those this time?

However that may be, the put-Panama-first wig at the other end is not a
Twump whisperer. He has to take these threats at face value. Otherwise,
he's a former put-Panama-first wig.

Buying satellite intel and aircraft carrier sinking missiles from China
is a good start. You need to have a deterrent. "Up them costs!" Nuking
it up is always a good insurance policy against these rogue states. I
bet Iran is working double shifts.

[Sawfish]

Post by jdeluise

Post by PeteWasLucky
Trump's talking language is his wishes and threats. I still have
 to see him follow through any of them.

But this time around he doesn't have to worry about laws, the
constitution, or any other "coequal" branch of government.

Right. Those are trivial distractions.

Who else is a bit concerned about the recent MASSIVE use of the
presidential pardon to put political allies beyond the law? Both guys
did it in short order, and if you follow this trend thru, it'll be like
tin pot tyrannies where if you have political connections you are beyond
the reach of the courts.

There has *always* been great advantages to having friends in high
places WRT legalities, but within the last couple of weeks, it has
become right out front, not behind the scenes, When it's right out front
it is much worse because there appears to the populace that there is no
regular law in force, and anything goes, depending on connections.

Maybe we're trading DEI for a walk in the jungle.