US Ships Need Free Travel Through Panama, Suez Canals: Donald Trump
President Donald Trump called for “free of charge” passage of American ships through the Panama and Suez canals, renewing his focus of expanding US influence over critical commercial and naval waterways.
While Trump began pushing for an exit of Chinese port operators around the Panama Canal soon after returning to the White House in January, the post on his Truth Social network on Saturday also turned attention to the Suez Canal, which cuts through Egypt to link the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
“Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America,” Trump said, adding that he's asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “immediately take care of” the situation.
Trump's focus — with tariffs and other measures, such as proposed fees at US ports — has been on Chinese commercial shipping and shipbuilding, with the ultimate goal of promoting a revival of US shipbuilding. The US government argues that China's dominance in ship construction was achieved unfairly and harms US interests.
US commercial shipbuilding, once a global leader, has shriveled since the 1980s due to subsidy cuts and foreign competition.
Panama in February promised free passage for US warships through the canal, used mostly by the US and China, after Trump criticized Chinese influence over the waterway and threatened to “take it back.” A plan by CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd to sell its Panamanian port assets to a consortium led by Blackrock Inc. has run into opposition from China and a financial dispute with Panama.
-
Unhedged Position: Can India See An Indonesia-Style Time Correction?
The Nifty is trading below levels it first clocked in 2024. Is there, then, as I have suggested in the headline, potential that the current time correction drags on painfully for the next three-five, even ten years?
-
Navigating Friction And Energy Realities: An Analysis Of Marco Rubio's October Visit To India
Occurring at a critical juncture marked by stalled trade negotiations and escalating geopolitical pressures over global energy supplies, the visit offers a profound window into modern US-India relations.
-
India Exports Capital. Why Not Export Trusteeship?
The big question, then, is whether India can build an institution that global borrowers, investors, banks, and lawyers can trust, even without an Indian connection.
-
France's Economy & Politics Are In Crisis | The Reason Why
Let's look at how the French economy and politics evolved under Nicolas Sarkozy, Franois Hollande and Emmanuel Macron.
-
You May Inherit The Business. You Must Earn Its Credibility.
Succession tests the founder's ability to share authority as much as it tests the next generation's readiness to assume it.
-
Signing Deals Is One Thing; Making Them Work Is Another | The Week In Whys
Sometimes, things don't turn out as planned. Indian companies have lost some bids to rivals, some projects won't produce until 2030.
-
FOMC Wall, PERM Suspension, Hospital Stocks | Talking Points This Week
A PERM suspension would directly affect green-card sponsorship rather than H-1B visas, so the near-term earnings impact could remain relatively limited. The key question is whether this marks a new phase in US scrutiny of Indian IT.
-
Everything, Everywhere, All At Once: Dalal Street's Week To Forget | Joining The Dots
Visa curbs, a Starlink spat and cancer drug caps: what connects this week's shocks for Indian markets
-
India Is Going Abroad For Critical Minerals. But It May Take Years To Pay Off | The Reason Why
Although India's steps are in the right direction, they remain modest compared with India's growing dependence.
-
When Everyone Has AI, What Gives You An Edge?
India's young workforce is entering an uncertain world of work where powerful AI tools are becoming widely accessible. The advantage will belong to those who combine deep expertise with digital fluency, and the distinctly human capabilities that technology cannot manufacture.
