Why does Trump want the Panama Canal? – The Global Story podcast, BBC World Service

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Why does Trump want the Panama Canal? – The Global Story podcast, BBC World Service


Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has made a string of expansionist foreign policy announcements, angering several of his international counterparts.

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After reiterating his ambitious intention to purchase Greenland, and renaming the Gulf of Mexico, the US…

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24 Comments

  1. Thanks for the informative video😍👏…..I think BTC and ETH are more likely to retest resistance to the upside and then head lower. But as always, the situation changes every day and all we can do is trade responsibly, monitor the markets and reassess our strategies frequently. I want to thank you, Mr Alexio Roberts for giving me crypto education because I have comfortably earned 6.7 BTC…..

  2. The real question is why people are demanding Americans to fight their wars and fund every thing themselves and yet have no controlling interest. Stop having ur hands out demanding things from the US like ur entitled to it. You have been doing this for years now. It’s just this time America has a President that’s not going to sit there and let u walk over him. Europe does not own the US and it needs to learn to do its own dirty work instead of complaining that sugar daddy America ain’t paying ur bills . No one in America owes u shit while a lot of Europeans get free education and safety that is funded by American tax dollars. Americans have to earn their own no free rides.

  3. This female journalist is pissing me off. US has signed agreement to acknowledge Taiwan is a part of China in 1978. The Taiwan government also signed one China agreement in 1992.

  4. Trump actually normalized invading sovereign nations by saying Ukraine should have not participate in this war. It was quite obvious he was going to demand whatever country benefits him like Putin did.
    I am just thinking who is gonna stop what?
    Zelensky just gave in today and it is a very clear message to other sovereign developing nations now.

  5. I think Trump has some personal vendetta with China because he was defeated with Covid 😂 but, he is right, Chinese apps, brands, evs it is like they are running global market now and I think they also kicked out us from pacific using interesting ways like fake islands

  6. The USA buying the Panama Canal would be one of the single biggest financial mistakes the USA would ever make. The Panama Canal as strange as it may seem is loosing water. Gatun Lake is the main freshwater reservoir that feeds the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal is losing water primarily due to climate change and environmental factors, and this is significantly increasing maintenance costs. Here’s how:

    1. Drought and Reduced Rainfall

    The Panama Canal relies on freshwater from nearby lakes—especially Gatún Lake—to operate its lock system, which raises and lowers ships. However, prolonged droughts, linked to climate change and the El Niño phenomenon, have drastically reduced rainfall in the region. Less rain means lower water levels in Gatún Lake, making it harder to sustain canal operations.

    2. Water Usage Per Ship

    Each time a ship passes through the canal’s locks, millions of gallons of freshwater are lost to the ocean. In normal conditions, this water is replenished by rainfall, but with ongoing droughts, the system struggles to maintain necessary levels.

    3. Evaporation and Seepage

    Higher temperatures have increased evaporation rates, causing additional water loss. Additionally, natural seepage from the canal’s reservoirs contributes to declining water levels.

    4. Increased Costs

    Maintaining water levels and ensuring the canal remains operational has led to billions in additional costs:
    • Infrastructure Projects: The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is investing in new water conservation projects, such as reservoirs and pumping stations, to secure freshwater supply.
    • Dredging & Maintenance: Lower water levels make navigation more difficult, requiring costly dredging and adjustments to maintain depth.
    • Traffic Restrictions: The ACP has had to limit the number and size of ships passing through, reducing revenue and impacting global trade.

    5. Economic Impact

    The canal is a critical trade route, generating around $3 billion annually for Panama. However, water shortages force restrictions that reduce canal traffic, costing the global shipping industry billions in delays and rerouting expenses.

    Future Solutions

    To combat this crisis, Panama is exploring alternatives like:
    • Building new reservoirs to store more water.
    • Recycling water in the locks to minimize waste.
    • Desalination plants (though costly) to supplement freshwater supplies.

    If water shortages continue, the canal’s long-term viability could be at risk, impacting global trade routes and Panama’s economy.

  7. donald wants his empire to stretch out to eventually include all the 'americas', that is the legacy he wants to leave his children to rule. donald the real estate emporer.

  8. I lived in Panama in 2024, and when I saw Chinese equipment being used for the canal, I knew something was wrong with that picture. Listen, Latin American countries have a history of evil dictatorships and corruption. Therefore, conjectures about China's influence without knowing how China uses "Checkbook Diplomacy" make the commentary look ignorant. The canal revenue is not helping the economy of Panama. High unemployment, very low wages, high poverty living conditions, dirty streets, very little to no infrastructure, makes you ask the question "where is all the canal revenue going?" I met workers who worked at the Canal under US control and they were doing better.

  9. Simple. If Panama Allows CHINA to control BOTH ends of the Canal . They can Control Commerce and possibly Military movements and Creates UNTOLD. Danger to USA citizens ! Not hard to know it’s as Plain as Nose on Everyone’s Faces 🇺🇸🇺🇸‼️💯. Country’s that have ZERO Foresight will get caught Unaware by China who obamas and Biden have bowed to for YEARS 😡

  10. As an American citizen, I really want Israeli citizens to move to America because I have been displaced in Palestine for too long, even though I have colonized there and there is still a lot of land here.