President-elect Donald Trump seems poised to revive the Monroe Doctrine, signaling a renewed focus that the US will continue Western Hemisphere domination for decades and will no longer tolerate any other competition in controlling strategic maritime chokepoints or natural resources in the region.
On Saturday evening, Trump vented on Truth Social how "President Jimmy Carter foolishly gave away" the Panama Canal for one dollar. He explained, "It was solely for Panama to manage, not China or anyone else."
The core issue is that China now controls two of the five ports adjacent to the canal: Balboa on the Pacific and Cristobal on the Caribbean. While the US spent three decades engaged in nation-building activities across the Middle East, China transformed Panama into a geographic and commercial hub, strategically positioning itself for political, economic, and military advancement.
"The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America's Economy and National Security. A secure Panama Canal is crucial for US Commerce, and rapid deployment of the Navy, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and drastically cuts shipping times to US ports," Trump said.
He also touched on the high fees for US ships to transit the canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans: "The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This complete "rip-off" of our Country will immediately stop…."
The big picture is that the Monroe Doctrine may be revived during Trump's second term to counter China's efforts to dominate the Western Hemisphere without firing a shot. This likely implies that the Trump administration will aim to reclaim control of geostrategic chokepoints—critical ports—and ensure the flow of natural resources remains under US control for decades to come.
"I've been trying to persuade folks for a while now that Trump is serious about a return to the Monroe Doctrine, but even I didn't have "Trump demands return of Panama Canal as early Christmas present" on my bingo card," Emma Ashford, a Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Georgetown University, wrote on X.
Here's a quick refresher course on the Monroe Doctrine.
About 5% of global maritime traffic uses the Panama Canal, with around 1,000 ships passing through each month, traversing the waters between South America, Asia, the US East and Gulf Coasts.