The president of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, is not happy with Donald Trump’s accusation that Chinese troops are stationed in the Panama Canal, calling the claim “nonsense.”
“Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday as part of a barrage of unhinged posts on the holiday. As one might expect, Mulino was not happy with the false charge.
“There is not a single Chinese soldier in the canal,” Mulino said to reporters Thursday, adding that there is “absolutely no Chinese interference.”
Trump told a crowd of supporters in Arizona Sunday that “the fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair,” saying that if shipping rates were not lowered, “we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, quickly and without question.”
Why Trump is choosing to attack Panama right now isn’t clear, although it could have something to do with the outstanding tax evasion case the president-elect faces in the country. It stems from 2019, when the owners of a Panama City hotel tower that was previously managed and operated under the Trump brand accused the Trump Organization of pocketing money meant to pay taxes. According to a lawsuit, Trump’s companies simply kept the money, “intentionally evading taxes” and leaving the new owner liable for millions.
Trump’s threats to Panama in recent days are accompanied by his renewed desire to buy Greenland from Denmark, an idea he floated during his first presidential term that was met with widespread derision. It seems as though the president-elect is bringing back the belligerent threats and bizarre attention-seeking antics that were a hallmark of his first presidential term, with even less restraint than before.
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