Once again, Donald Trump is lighting up the headlines with one of his signature outbursts. In his latest off-the-cuff rant, he’s fired a fresh round of criticism — seemingly at random — this time targeting two of the world’s most critical shipping routes: the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal.
Trump's demand? That the U.S. should be allowed to pass through both canals for free.
No taxes, no tolls, no negotiations. Just an open-door policy for American ships — because, as Trump sees it, "we built them," "we saved them," or simply because "it’s only fair." The details, as usual, were murky, but the message was crystal clear: Trump is doubling down on his America-First, rules-don’t-apply-to-us attitude.
While it’s true the U.S. played a significant role in the construction of the Panama Canal over a century ago, and has historically had strategic interests in global trade routes, suggesting that other sovereign nations just wave American vessels through without payment... well, that's classic Trump.
As for the Suez Canal? That’s Egyptian territory. Egypt has operated it since the 1950s after kicking out colonial powers. So good luck trying to strong-arm them into a free pass.
In short: another day, another firestorm — and a reminder that Trump’s view of international relations often looks a lot like a one-way street.
Stay tuned — with Trump, you never know what canal, country, or continent will be in the crosshairs next.