President Donald Trump stated that the United States will
take back the Panama Canal or "something very powerful is going to
happen."
After taking off from Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews,
the president confirmed his seriousness about taking back the canal or reaching
a new agreement, arguing that China controls the waterway and is using it
against the United States.
"People are very happy right now. Nobody thought that
was going to happen. So they're home, safe with their families." That was
a big event. Secretary of State Rubio is in Panama right now, and we're talking
about the Panama Canal. What they've done is terrible. They violated the agreement.
They're not allowed to violate it. China runs the Panama Canal. They didn't
give it to China, they gave it to Panama, senselessly. But they violated the
agreement, and we're going to take it back, or something very powerful is going
to happen."