Trump calls for free passage of U.S. ships through Panama, Suez Canals

U.S. President Trump says American ships should transit the Panama and Suez Canals without charge, renewing calls to assert U.S. control over strategic waterways.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said that American military and commercial ships should be allowed to pass through the Panama Canal and Suez Canal free of charge.

In a social media post, Trump said he had asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to "immediately take care of, and memorialize, this situation."

The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, serving as a critical shortcut for cargo ships and handling about 40% of U.S. container traffic each year. The Suez Canal, linking the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, accounts for 10 to 12 percent of global trade.

The United States completed the construction of the Panama Canal in the early 20th century but transferred control to Panama in 1999. Trump has repeatedly said he wants to "take back" the canal and, before taking office in January, suggested he would not rule out using economic or military pressure to regain control.

Copied