Former national security adviser John Bolton told CNN's “The Newsroom” on Friday that it was “ridiculous” for President Donald Trump to say he wouldn't rule out taking back the Panama Canal or using military force. “It looks like it is,” he said.
“I just wanted to hear your thoughts on what President Trump said in his inaugural address earlier this week that the United States should take back the Panama Canal. We take that seriously,” host Jim Acosta said. What does he mean by taking back the Panama Canal? Does he mean some kind of military operation or is he pressuring the Panamanians to hand it over to the United States?”
Bolton said, “Well, he was asked specifically that he wouldn't rule out the use of military force. I mean, I think that's crazy. I think it makes us look ridiculous. In his speech, he said that this is absolutely not the case. You said earlier that Chinese soldiers are running the canal, but they definitely aren't. I think there are problems with Chinese port operations around the world in many strategic locations. China operates several ports on the Pacific coast of the Panama Canal, but they do not operate the canal itself.
He added, “But if we have a problem with that and we have good reason to be concerned about it, the smart way to deal with it is to quietly work behind closed doors with the Panamanians to get the Chinese side.'' We need to carry out fair negotiations,” he added. Negotiating under the glare of the spotlight puts people like the president of Panama (who happens to be pro-American at the moment) into a box, making it harder to negotiate. To get what you want. In effect, what Trump is doing here is his own kind of interference. ”
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