Who controls the Panama Canal?

President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to regain U.S. ownership of the Panama Canal, which the United States previously controlled until a treaty transferred full ownership to Panama in 1999. Trump’s bluntly stated desire, alongside comments he has made about acquiring Greenland, would violate the international principle of sovereignty and decades of U.S. foreign policy norms if translated into action. The canal facilitates hundreds of billions of dollars of trade each year. It is a central point for international commerce, vital to U.S. supply chains, and critical to Panama’s standing as a regional trade hub. Yet, China’s growing commercial ties to Panama and the region have fueled U.S. concerns about Beijing’s broader role in global shipping and port operations.