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.

Trump’s focus has been on Chinese commercial shipping and shipbuilding, with the ultimate goal of promoting a revival of US shipbuilding, as 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 shrivelled since the 1980s due to subsidy cuts and foreign competition.

Trump says US ships need free travel through Panama, Suez Canals

This is from the link; "“Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America,” Trump said,"

I can see tenuous links between the Panama canal and the USA wrt construction. history, politics and geography but what links does the USA have with the Suez canal?

15 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

This is from the link; "“Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America,” Trump said,"

I can see tenuous links between the Panama canal and the USA wrt construction. history, politics and geography but what links does the USA have with the Suez canal.

Good point, rd. There seems to be no historical link at all; and then there's Vance's recent remarks that in his opinion the strikes on the Houthis were “a mistake,” saying that only  3 percent of U.S. trade moves through the Suez Canal compared to 40 percent of European trade.

I guess Donald wants to rule the world.

 

 

How do you feel about Japan's economic pre-eminence?

Japan gets almost seventy percent of its oil from the Persian Gulf, relies on ships led back home by our destroyers, battleships, helicopters, frog men. Then the Japanese sail home, where they give the oil to fuel their factories so that they can knock the hell out of General Motors, Chrysler and Ford. Their openly screwing us is a disgrace. Why aren't they paying us? The Japanese cajole us, they bow to us, they tell us how great we are and then they pick our pockets. We're losing hundreds of billions of dollars a year while they laugh at our stupidity.

-- Donald Trump, Playboy Interview, 1990

10 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Japan gets almost seventy percent of its oil from the Persian Gulf, relies on ships led back home by our destroyers, battleships, helicopters, frog men.

 The USN and RN and occasionally some other Navies maintain patrols in the Persian Gulf, straits of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman but do NOT escort any ships that are not flying their own flag.  As to battleships, there are no such vessels at sea anymore and where "frog men" get involved I have no idea!

 

PS;  I had not seen the last line, "- Donald Trump, Playboy Interview, 1990" of your post when I wrote the above.

A lot has changed in 25 years!

2 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

What a load of B.S.

The USN and RN and occasionally some other Navies maintain patrols in the Persian Gulf, straits of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman but do NOT escort any ships that are not flying their own flag.  As to battleships, there are no such vessels at sea anymore and where "frog men" get involved I have no idea!

1990 opinion. But most likely not true considering the source.

It shows the mindset of Mr. Trump which has barely, if any, changed.

Just now, stevenl said:

1990 opinion. But most likely not true considering the source.

You were typing as I edited my post when I noticed the date of the quote.

17 minutes ago, bannork said:

I guess Donald wants to rule the world.

And learn geography!

17 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Donald Trump, Playboy Interview, 1990

Was he being interviewed for a job or looking to interview a potential wife?

🤣

Geography? Can't beat this:

“I was very up-front in my briefing on Day One that, if we feel that there are lies being pushed by outlets in this room, we are going to hold those lies accountable,” Leavitt said.

“And it is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America. And I’m not sure why news outlets don’t want to call it that, but that is what it is.”

6 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

It shows the mindset of Mr. Trump which has barely, if any, changed.

I thought he would  need to have a mind in order to change it!

42 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

This is from the link; "“Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America,” Trump said,"

I can see tenuous links between the Panama canal and the USA wrt construction. history, politics and geography but what links does the USA have with the Suez canal?

 

It was built by the French and France & UK were the main shareholders of the concessionary company that operated it until it was nationalised in 1956.

Just now, samtam said:

 

It was built by the French and France & UK were the main shareholders of the concessionary company that operated it until it was nationalised in 1956.

That is my point!

My estranged high-flyer sister is the only person I know who can carry a grudge longer than Trump.

26 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

How do you feel about Japan's economic pre-eminence?

Japan gets almost seventy percent of its oil from the Persian Gulf, relies on ships led back home by our destroyers, battleships, helicopters, frog men. Then the Japanese sail home, where they give the oil to fuel their factories so that they can knock the hell out of General Motors, Chrysler and Ford. Their openly screwing us is a disgrace. Why aren't they paying us? The Japanese cajole us, they bow to us, they tell us how great we are and then they pick our pockets. We're losing hundreds of billions of dollars a year while they laugh at our stupidity.

-- Donald Trump, Playboy Interview, 1990

 

He has been consistent on this and similar topics, at least.

The only US involvement in the Suez Canal was the joint operations Nimbus Moon & Star (USN) and Rheostat (RN)  plus the French navy and UN land support in 1974/75 to clear the Suez canal of any ordinance.

I was involved in both RN operations and have many tales to tell about all three Navies!!

 

Just now, nauseus said:

 

He has been consistent on this and similar topics, at least.

He has been consistently wrong on this and similar topics, at least.

41 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

This is from the link; "“Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America,” Trump said,"

I can see tenuous links between the Panama canal and the USA wrt construction. history, politics and geography but what links does the USA have with the Suez canal?

 

The link is 1956, when the US backed Egypt, when France and the UK sent in the military to prevent nationalisation of the canal.

 

News spin, 50s style

 

 

 

 

What can be one person's consistence can be another person's obsession.

Just now, MicroB said:

The link is 1956, when the US backed Egypt, when France and the UK sent in the military to prevent nationalisation of the canal.

Good point which I had forgotten!

But all that did was to allow Egypt to take control of "their" canal which then rolled over into the Aswan Dam US/USSR stand off which the USSR won!

Trump comes out with all these fanciful ideas'  ,as a distraction to what he is really

doing,  which is to try and implement everything that was in the 2025 manifesto ,

from what has been done so far ,a right mess , to other things that are really going

to harm the workers and middle class ,but enrich his Billionaire buddies  

 

You thought he was a big liar ,everytime he opens his mouth , but he is going

to have to come up with some whoppers to get himself out of this tariff mess

he has caused ,and effected the whole World, if he ever was a deal maker ,that

was not the way to do it...

 

regards worgeordie

22 minutes ago, nauseus said:

 

He has been consistent on this and similar topics, at least.

And the victim getting ripped off spiel……kinda odd that ripped off spiel that’s his MO on paying venders that were used and abused.ah well we all know what he is.

Cool. Free is good.

Just to be clear. Trump is proposing free passage for all US ships both military and commercial.

 

“American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals!” he writes on his Truth Social platform.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/trump-demands-free-passage-for-us-ships-through-panama-and-suez-canals/

1 hour ago, rough diamond said:

This is from the link; "“Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America,” Trump said,"

I can see tenuous links between the Panama canal and the USA wrt construction. history, politics and geography but what links does the USA have with the Suez canal?

 

All three letters,  U S and A can be found in Suez Canal. Maybe that's all the links Trump needs.

If the US gets free passage then every country will demand it and where will the canals get their funding from then.

What an idiot!

3 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Just to be clear. Trump is proposing free passage for all US ships both military and commercial.

 

“American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals!” he writes on his Truth Social platform.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/trump-demands-free-passage-for-us-ships-through-panama-and-suez-canals/

Interesting, the connection between your post and the OP!!!!!!!!

2 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

Interesting, the connection between your post and the OP!!!!!!!!

Well, the original post left it unclear.

6 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

Interesting, the connection between your post and the OP!!!!!!!!

 

One wonders if he wants the concession to be extended to Chinese built US flagged ships

 

If only US built, US flagged ships, then that's about 30 merchant ships.