Donald Trump Panama Canal Threat Rebuked in Home State Newspaper: ‘Pitiful’

The editor of a Florida-based newspaper has criticized President-elect Donald Trump for his recent suggestion that the U.S. should retake control of the Panama Canal.

Andrés Oppenheimer, editor and syndicated foreign affairs columnist at The Miami Herald, said Trump should focus more on pressing issues as he enters office for the second time. He described Trump’s remarks about the Panama Canal as “pitiful.”

Newsweek has contacted the Trump transition team for comment via email.

Why It Matters

The critical opinion piece was published in a newspaper in Trump’s current home state, where the president-elect enjoys significant support.

The column suggests the Republican is likely to face ongoing criticism for his domestic and foreign policies upon returning to the White House in January. Other recent proposals from Trump have included suggesting the U.S. purchase Greenland from Denmark and imposing large tariffs on Mexico and Canada.

What To Know

Trump said the U.S. could demand the return of the Panama Canal if the Central American country fails to reduce the fees it charges American ships.

The Republican described Panama’s control of the key trading route as a “complete rip-off” for the U.S. on Truth Social.

“The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair, especially given the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed on Panama. It’s going to stop,” Trump wrote Saturday.

Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino dismissed Trump’s suggestion that the canal, which generates about one-fifth of the Panama government’s annual revenue, could be handed back to the U.S.

“Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent zones is part of Panama, and it will continue to be,” Mulino said in a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The canal was transferred from U.S. control to Panama in 1999, following a treaty signed in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter.

What People Are Saying

Andrés Oppenheimer, also an anchor of Oppenheimer Presenta on CNN en Español, wrote in The Miami Herald: “Why is Trump threatening Panama? One theory is that Trump routinely threatens other countries as a negotiation tactic. But there isn’t much to negotiate with Panama. The biggest problem in Panama-U.S. ties is the flow of undocumented people from other countries through Panama’s Darién jungle on their way to the United States, and Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino is successfully cooperating with the U.S. government to close that route.

“A more plausible explanation may be that, like Trump’s frequent outbursts against Mexico, China, or Canada, this may be a new Trump theme to keep his domestic base energized for political gain.

“America has a huge healthcare problem, an epidemic of mass shootings, a growing climate crisis causing extreme weather destruction across entire regions, and record income inequality. Why is Trump not talking about those issues, which are far more important than Panama Canal fees? He’s either trying to distract us from real, pressing issues or creating conflicts to appeal to xenophobes within his base. Either way, it’s pitiful.”

Meghan McCain, political commentator and daughter of the late Arizona Senator John McCain, posted on X: “Trump is right about the Panama Canal. This is very personal—my dad was born in the Panama Canal Zone.”

Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino, in an upcoming CNN interview with Oppenheimer: “The canal belongs to the Panamanian people and will continue to belong to the Panamanian people. There’s no other way of seeing it.”

Harry Sisson, who was previously part of a Joe Biden administration initiative to promote the president’s 2024 campaign on social media, posted on X: “Trump isn’t even president yet and he’s already said he can’t lower prices, nearly started a trade war with Canada and Mexico, threatened war with Panama, and embarrassed us on the world stage AGAIN. Good job, MAGA!”

What’s Next

Trump is likely to continue pushing an “America First” approach to foreign policy in his upcoming administration. It remains unclear whether he will actively pursue efforts to reclaim the Panama Canal for the U.S.