When it comes to President Trump, US ships will soon receive special rights for two of the most important waterways in the world. He demands the free passage on the Panama and Suez Canal.
US President Donald Trump is pushing for the free passage of American ships through the Panama and Suez Canal. This must apply to both military and commercial ships, the Republican wrote Truth Social on his online language tube. “These channels would not exist without the United States.” He asked his Foreign Minister Marco Rubio to take care of this matter immediately.
Trump had recently received an important concession to his demand for more influence from the United States on the Panama Canal. According to an agreement with Panama, the United States can station soldiers around the important waterway. Panama and the USA previously announced that they were negotiating a regulation to secure US warships a free and priority passage through the Panama Canal.
Trump had repeatedly stated that he wanted to “recapture” the channel because the United States was treated unfairly. Before taking office in January, the current US president said that he did not rule out economic or military violence in order to regain control.
Important routes for global trade
The Panama Canal was built in the early 20th century by the engineering corps of the US army. On December 31, 1999, the United States handed over the administration to Panama. The waterway runs on the Landes between North and South America and enables ships to drive a faster trip between the Atlantic and the Pacific. Around 40 percent of US container traffic are handled every year.
The Suez Canal in turn lies in Egypt and connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. This significantly shortens the sea route between Europe and Asia. The channel is one of the most important trade routes in the world. The construction began in 1859 under the direction of the French diplomat and engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps. Tens of thousands of Egyptian workers worked for ten years until the completion in November 1869.
