As he went to shake Trump’s hand, the president mentioned that in his experience there were “a lot of crooks” in Panama. De Dianous died in 2021 and never sought to publicize or draw attention to the moment.

President-elect Donald Trump speaks about his ambitions for buying Greenland from Denmark and retaking the Panama Canal despite a treaty.

In the 1970s, a conservative coalition came together to fight ceding control of the Panama Canal—proving the political potency of the issue.

Treaties ratified by the Senate in 1978 established permanent neutrality, but some Republicans regret that decision.

Trump’s “America First” rhetoric could significantly impact the region, potentially creating an opening for Europeans to strengthen their ties and influence there

Donald Trump’s threat to forcibly retake the Panama Canal would target a waterway that generates $2.5 billion in annual revenue for Panama and handles 5% of global maritime trade, raising alarm about potential disruption to international commerce.

Trump's intention marks a rejection of decades of U.S. policy that has prioritized self-determination over territorial expansion.

President-elect Donald Trump’s threats over the Panama Canal may be rooted in his decades-long views of the country, forged by his own attempts to do business there. CNN’s Phil Mattingly reports.

The US is the biggest user of the Canal, but influence on its operations is dispersed among contracts with bidders internationally.