Panama has strongly rejected recent comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump, in which he suggested the United States might “take back” control of the Panama Canal. The Panamanian government reaffirmed that the vital waterway remains under its sovereignty.
In a statement shared on social media on Monday, January 20, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino dismissed Trump’s claims, firmly asserting the nation’s authority over the canal.
“I categorically reject the remarks made by President Donald Trump,” Mulino stated. “The canal is and will always remain Panama’s.” He also refuted Trump’s suggestion that China is operating the canal, emphasizing, “There is no foreign nation interfering in its operation.”
The Panama Canal, a key interoceanic route, was built by the United States and opened in 1914. It was officially transferred to Panamanian control on December 31, 1999, following agreements signed in the 1970s between then-U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos.
