During an interview over the weekend, former Trump National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien reportedly stated that President-elect Donald Trump was serious about reclaiming the Panama Canal from Panama, as the country has effectively ceded control of the canal to communist China.
When asked about the matter during a Sunday interview on Fox News, O’Brien made the remarks after Trump brought it up.
He stated that the United States was amenable to Panama operating the canal; however, he also stated that immediate modifications would be necessary to facilitate this, as the United States would otherwise seek to reclaim it.
“The Panama Canal is one of the engineering achievements of the last millennia, and we built it, we paid for it, and we operated it for many years, and then in a tremendous act of generosity, it was probably foolish, Jimmy Carter gave the canal back to the Panamanians. But it wasn’t just a free gift, there are conditions that the canal remain neutral.” O’Brien said.
“The Panamanians … gave the ports on both ends of the canal to the Chinese. And even the New York Times is saying — which has been an apologist for China for years — is saying that the Chinese are committing espionage, or they could shut down the canal without military efforts just using these Hong Kong companies that control the canal.” he continued.
“And then on top of that, they’re raising the prices on American shipping. So 75% of the commerce that goes to the canal ends up at American ports or departs from American ports, and they’re ripping us off. And so the idea that they’ve given the canal to China, basically, in essence, and are charging us high prices. The Chinese are taking that news and that money to build their own military up. That doesn’t work for America anymore.”O’Brien added.
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