Trump sees both canals as crucial to U.S. regaining dominance in global commerce and military strength against China
April 26, 2025
President Donald Trump Saturday on Truth Social proposes Panama and Egypt should allow American Ships free passage through their canals, setting off a possible stage for what his critics describe as pugnacious and disputatious acts against U.S. allies.
The Panama Canal—owned by the Panama government, connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, while the Suez Canal, also owned by the Egyptian government, connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea and accounts for almost 12 percent of global trade. These are not only two of the world’s busiest and essential shipping routes for international trade, both maritime waterways are crucial for geopolitical control and authority as well, providing militaries with quick access to move between oceans.
Trump sees both canals as crucial to the U.S. regaining dominance in global commerce and military strength against China. He has made it a top priority of his administration to regain management of the Panama Canal and eliminate Chinese influence on supply chains in the region and beyond.
Geopolitical experts say Trump’s proposal is likely to rub the Egyptian authorities the wrong way and could also set off a cascade effect on U.S. relations with other nations in the Middle East region. Egypt is considered one of the U.S. closest allies in the Africa and Middle East region and has been a reliable arbitrator in the last year working alongside U.S. officials and other nations to secure ceasefire and peace deals, including the Israel-Gaza ceasefire, Sudan and South Sudan.
Experts add that while the Trump administration’s concerns over China-based logistic companies’ controls of critical infrastructure in the Panama Canal area and other logistics ports in Africa are just and China’s potential conduct for surveillance activities make the Panama Canal less sovereign, and secure, it’s important not to alienate an important ally like Egypt.
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