Trump criticizes Panama Canal fees and threatens to reclaim U.S. control

Donald Trump, the incoming U.S. president, criticized fees for U.S. ships using the Panama Canal and threatened to demand the canal's return to U.S. control. He expressed concerns about China's influence in the region. Trump stated that the fees charged by Panama are unfair and called for the canal to be managed solely by Panama, not by China or others. He suggested that if Panama fails to operate the canal effectively, the U.S. would seek its return. The Panama Canal, completed by the U.S. in 1914, was handed over to Panama in 1999. The canal is crucial for global trade, with about five percent of maritime traffic passing through it.