Sec hegseth to visit Panama after Trump’s canal request
Defense Secretary Pete Hegses is scheduled to meet Panama’s leaders next week among the president Donald TrumpContinuing efforts to regain control of key strategic and military resources.
The Trump administration has been frank about the national security threats presented by alleged Chinese intervention.
During a visit in February, during a visit to the country, Secretary of State Marco Rubio In a post in X, “The United States cannot continue to maintain effective and growing control of the Chinese Communist Party over the Panama Canal region.
Pentagon Chief spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed Friday. Secretary of Defense He will attend the Central American Security Conference in 2025 and participate in the discussion “promoting continued efforts to strengthen US partnerships with Panama and other Central American countries.” Associated Press.
On November 17th, 2015, a cargo boat sails through the Panama Canal next to the Panama Canal expansion project on the Pacific side of Panama City. (Reuters)
The president has criticized the six-figure premiums charged on US ships traveling along key waterways, and previously proposed buying back the canal.
It was built by the United States for decades, but was eventually handed over to Panama during the Carter administration.
The Panama Canal Repurchase Act has been recently It was featured in the councilwhich would give Trump the power to negotiate with appropriate Panama government officials to re-acquire the Panama Canal.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses will be attending the NATO Defense Ministers’ Conference on February 13, 2025 at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. (Reuters/Yves Herman)
China and Hong Kong threaten to block the sale of Panama Canal Port to BlackRock in the US
President of Panama Jose Raul Murino Previously, China had not affected the canal, and the Associated Press said it accused Trump of “lying” about the possibility of winning it.
BlackRock, Inc. later announced a $23 billion deal with Hong Kong-based CK Hutchinson, which announced the ownership of Cristobal and Balboa’s port of Panama, as well as 43 ports from 23 other countries.
Two cargo ships will enter Miraflores Rock on the Panama Canal in Panama City on January 22nd. (Martin Bernetti/AFP via Getty Images)
The canal can be used as China’s leverage in US tariff negotiations.
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Hegseth will visit Eglin Air Force Base in Florida to meet military members and leadership at the 7th Special Forces Group, according to the Associated Press.
Fox News’ Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.