Former US President Donald Trump has threatened to reassert American control over the Panama Canal, accusing Panama of imposing excessive usage fees. The comments drew a sharp response from Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, who criticized Trump’s remarks as unwarranted interference. The Panama Canal, a vital global trade route, was handed over to Panama in 1999 under a treaty signed decades earlier. Trump’s statements have reignited debates over US-Panama relations and the canal’s strategic significance.
