“They would not exist without the USA” – with this justification, US President Trump is demanding that American ships should pass through the Panama and Suez Canals free of charge.
These special rights should apply to both military and commercial ships. There is already resistance to the demand from Panama and Egypt.
Trump has instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to look into the matter “immediately”. “These two channels would not exist without the United States of America,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social network at the weekend. It was not specified whether the demand related to US-owned or US-flagged ships.
Since his return to the White House, Trump has already stated several times that he wants to bring the Panama Canal back under US control. The canal was built at the beginning of the 20th century under American supervision, but since 1999 it has been under the control of the independent authority ACP (Autoridad del Canal de Panamá). In February, it rejected the demand to allow US ships to sail through the canal “as a matter of priority and free of charge”. However, talks are still ongoing. Most recently, the Trump administration had already received a concession from Panama: The USA will be allowed to station soldiers on the Panama Canal.
Suez Canal: Trump provides no reason for demand
The US President did not go on to explain why the Suez Canal “should not exist without the USA”. The waterway was built between 1859 and 1869 under British and French supervision; since 1956, it has been controlled by Egypt as part of its national territory. Until the Houthi attacks on merchant ships began, around 10% of global trade passed through the Suez Canal. In 2024, Egypt lost around USD 6 billion in revenue as a large proportion of container ships were diverted via the Cape of Good Hope.
There is still no official statement from the Egyptian government on Trump’s demand. However, MP Mostafa Bakry told an Egyptian news channel that free passage for US ships has no basis. “In my opinion, there is only one reason,” he said. “The policy of American bullying and attempts to blackmail sovereign states.” He called it an “open act of theft” against an independent country and member of the United Nations.
