Pentagon asked for military options to access Panama Canal, officials say

Two U.S. officials informed Reuters on Thursday that the U.S. military needs to develop strategies to guarantee complete access for the United States to the Panama Canal.

President Donald Trump has consistently expressed his desire to “retrieve” the Panama Canal, found at the thinnest section of the isthmus connecting North and South America and regarded as one of the globe’s most strategically vital waterways. However, he has not provided details on how he would accomplish this or whether military intervention might be necessary.

A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, stated that a paper referred to as interim national security guidance from the new administration urged the military to consider military options to protect access to the Panama Canal.

A second official mentioned that the U.S. military possesses numerous potential strategies to protect access, such as maintaining a strong collaboration with Panama’s military.

The Pentagon issued its most recent National Defense Strategy in 2022, a report that outlines the military’s priorities. A provisional document outlines general policy direction, similar to how Trump’s executive orders and public statements have functioned, prior to a more detailed policy paper such as an official NDS.

Trump has claimed that the U.S. must regain control of the canal since China oversees it and might leverage the waterway to threaten American interests. In his inaugural address in January, Trump reiterated claims that Panama has failed to uphold the commitments made for the complete transfer of the canal in 1999.

Any attempt by a foreign nation to seize the canal through force would almost certainly breach international law.

The United States and Panama are obligated by treaty to protect the canal from any threats to its neutrality and are authorized to act independently to achieve this.

In the early 20th century, the U.S. gained the rights to construct and manage the canal. In a pact signed in 1979, under the leadership of Democratic President Jimmy Carter, the U.S. consented to transfer control of the canal to Panama by the end of 1999.