cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/23416568
Summary
Donald Trump criticized Panama Canal fees as “ridiculous” and demanded lower costs or the canal’s return to the US.
In a Truth Social post, Trump also expressed concern about potential Chinese influence over the waterway, despite no direct Chinese control of canal operations.
The canal, transferred to Panama in 1999, is vital for global trade, handling 5% of maritime traffic.
Trump’s comments follow record revenues of $5 billion announced by the Panama Canal Authority. Panama has not yet responded to his statements.
Panama has not yet responded to his statements.
Hopefully they just ignore him. And hopefully other countries start doing that too.
No government ahould be compelled to respond to Truth Social posts.
Yeah, best case scenario is that the rest of the world starts to consciously uncouple from the US, taking away the ability of the incoming fascist government to strongarm “allies” into doing and saying everything they want or suffer financial and diplomatic ruin.
They could do something really funny and double it.
They probably can’t afford to double the fees for everyone, their canal would be out of business. But double the fees only for American-flagged vessels might be feasible.
It’s my understanding the canal is already almost out of business because they don’t have enough water. They limit travel through the canal to avoid emptying Lake Gatun.
As long as the fees as still lower than the cost to go around South America, I’m sure they’ll still have business.
Until global warming makes the northwest passage practical, anyway.
In other words: he was playing golf with some shipping magnate who complained about the high fees.
Or there was a segment on Fox News.
Or Elon was trying to sound smart
There’s a theory around that Elon even wrote the post.
https://bsky.app/profile/philco.bsky.social/post/3ldu7wfsr6k2g
Panama should respond,
“In response to Trump’s statement, Panama will talk with Putin about the possibility of a Russian military base to be built in Panama to safeguard free trade from interference from President Trump.”
Trump can’t get angry at his daddy Putin.
I hate Putin but God please this happen because it would he so funny
Interesting, the fees can almost be directly compared to his tariffs, as in its a government mandated fee on top of goods/ships crossing the border/canal… and Trump does not like them 😅
Starmer should demand that Trump either drop the proposed tariffs or give New England back 😄
…as a lifelong New Englander, I’m not sure if I want to root for or against that proposal! (pre-Brexit it would have been a no-brainer; I’d love to be part of the EU)
Why should anybody care about what you, a resident of the place thinks? This is how trump operates also: not caring about the residents or the people impacted.
I vote we just give the 13 colonies to Canada. That should be fine.
Can we just give them Washington DC?
Sir, do you have the original receipt?
Probably not, since the US essentially stole it.
US wanted to build a canal. The place they wanted to build it was part of Colombia. US backs a secession of the Central American portion of Columbia, creating the nation of Panama. Panama grants the US a 99-year lease on the Canal Zone. US builds canal.
I think it’s time to start blocking news about US politics.
Everybody laughing at this guy, but actual real people, and families, that are alive today, won’t be this time next year, because of the insane shit Trump and his cadre of incompetents will foist on the world with their purposefully unworkable foreign policies. You don’t do this, or nominate any of Trumps barrel bottoms in the first place, if you want a functioning ChristoFascist government, you do this because you want to get away with something else while everyone is distracted.
The asshole isn’t president yet and the extortions and shakedowns have already started
The US has elected Beavis and Butt-Head.
Beavis and Butthead had more charm.
Just double the fees for all US shipping for the next four years.
Someone should convince him that it’s a good idea to just build a canal through the US.
Back when the atom bomb was still new, people dreamed how easy it would make earthworks.
The US still has thousands of nuclear warheads…
Ok but can we line them all up in advance and blow them all up at once? Film the whole thing from space.
This seems like something Elon Musk could be manipulated to back.
Hyperloop through the US.
