As President Donald Trump fights to resecure the Panama Canal that former President Jimmy Carter gave up to Panama, which has since fallen under the sway and influence of the People’s Republic of China, he is being attacked for that attempt to secure an immensely important strategic point. Not least of which, former National Security Adviser John Bolton is attacking him.
Such is what Bolton did when he appeared on CNN’s “Newsroom” on Friday, January 24, saying during his appearance on the leftist outlet that President Donald Trump’s comments on taking back the Panama Canal “makes us look ridiculous,” particularly as the president has said he won’t rule out the use of military force.
That came when “Newsroom” host Jim Acosta asked Bolton if he takes Trump’s threats regarding the canal and taking it back seriously, “I just wanted to get your take on what Trump said during his inaugural speech earlier this week that the U.S. should take back the Panama Canal. Do you take that seriously?”
Continuing, Acosta asked what it would even mean for America to take back the canal, namely if military force would be used, “And what does that mean, take back the Panama Canal? Does he mean some sort of military operation or pressuring the Panamanians to hand it back over to the U.S.?”
Responding, Bolton bizarrely defended Chinese influence over the canal zone while calling Trump’s threats “ridiculous,” saying, “Well, he was asked specifically, you know, he wouldn’t rule out military force. I mean, I think it’s ridiculous. I think it makes us look ridiculous. He said in the inaugural that the Chinese are running the Panama Canal. They absolutely are not.”
Continuing on that point, Bolton said, “He had said earlier Chinese soldiers were running the canal, which they absolutely are not. There’s a problem with Chinese port operations around the world, I think in many strategic places. There’s a couple of Chinese port operations on the Pacific coast of the Panama canal. They’re not running the canal itself.”
Bolton further added that he thinks taking back the canal an inappropriate method of dealing with Chinese subversion, declaring, “But if we’ve got problems with that, and there may well be a legitimate reason to be concerned, the way you handle it sensibly is to have quiet, behind-closed-doors negotiations with the Panamanians to get the Chinese company moved out and get somebody else moved in.”
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Bolton then added, not noting that such methods haven’t worked much for America over the past decades”When you negotiate under the glare of spotlights, you put people like the president of Panama, who happens to be pretty pro-American at the moment, you put him in a box and make it harder to get what you want. In effect, what Trump is doing here is getting in his own way.” Watch him here:
Trump, posting on Truth Social about the canal before the inauguration, said, “The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s Economy and National Security. A secure Panama Canal is crucial for U.S. Commerce, and rapid deployment of the Navy, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and drastically cuts shipping times to U.S. ports. The United States is the Number One user of the Canal, with over 70 percent of all transits heading to, or from, U.S. ports.”
He added, “Considered one of the Wonders of the Modern World, the Panama Canal opened for business 110 years ago, and was built at HUGE cost to the United States in lives and treasure – 38,000 American men died from infected mosquitos in the jungles during construction. Teddy Roosevelt was President of the United States at the time of its building, and understood the strength of Naval Power and Trade. When President Jimmy Carter foolishly gave it away, for One Dollar, during his term in Office, it was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else.”
He further noted, “It was likewise not given for Panama to charge the United States, its Navy, and corporations, doing business within our Country, exorbitant prices and rates of passage. Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This complete “rip-off” of our Country will immediately stop….”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video