Will Trump Invade Panama? - WSJ Editorial

[question everything]

Forgive us if we missed it, but we don’t recall Donald Trump campaigning to invade Panama and retake its famous canal. But there was the President-elect on the weekend, threatening our Central American ally with punishment if it doesn’t meet his demands.

“Our Navy and commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama—I say, very foolishly, by the United States,” Mr. Trump told a crowd in Phoenix. “This complete ripoff of our country will immediately stop.”
He added: “We will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America in full, quickly and without question. I’m not going to stand for it. So to the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly.”

Where did that come from? Did some shipping magnate whisper in Mr. Trump’s ear? Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino quickly rebutted Mr. Trump and said Panama will defend its interests. Mr. Trump replied on Truth Social, “We’ll see about that.” So what is Mr. Trump proposing to do—invade? Make the Americas in the image of William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt again?

If we can introduce a few facts, Mr. Trump’s claim that Panama is gouging Americans is unfounded. Every vessel, regardless of its flag, pays the same rate according to tonnage and type. Container ships, which carry finished goods, pay more than bulk carriers. About 75% of the total price is a toll and 25% is for services like tugboat or locomotive escorts.

More..

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/donald-trump-panama-canal-shipping-china-jose-raul-mulino-8e7729da?st=M18B2G&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

free

[Dave Bowman]

1. Bush 1 invaded Panama in '89, officially to get Noriega but it was all about the canal. And it was very bloody.

[Wiz Imp]

2. Wow. When you have even the ultra-right Wall Street Journal Editorial Board calling Trump crazy, you know its bad.

[cbabe]

3. Taxes. It's all about the money. As always.

MSN
https://www.msn.com › en-us › politics › government › report-recalls-trump-tax-evasion-case-in-panama-he-threatens-to-reclaim-famous-canal › ar-AA1worpe

Trump org accused of tax evasion in Panama as president-elect ... - MSN

In 2019, the owners of a hotel tower in Panama City that once operated under the Trump brand accused Trump Organization

[VMA131Marine]

4. This is all about Trump still being steamed about the failure of Trump Hotel Panama

Remember, the only thing he remembers are his grievances and settling scores

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/JW_Marriott_Panama

Donald Trump arranged financing for the project from the investment bank Bear Stearns - a $230 million bond offering[11] - for which he received a $2.2 million commission.[10][12] During the financing, Ivanka Trump falsely claimed that over 90% of the units had been sold, and that their sale price was five times that of comparable units.[10][13] Ivanka Trump also exaggerated demand for the units, claiming in 2009 they were selling out even as potential buyers were being offered substantial discounts.[10][14] During the development, Donald Trump falsely implied that the Trump Organization had a financial stake in the project, and that it was acting as the developer, neither of which were true.[10]

The Trump Organization managed the hotel under contract until March 2018, when Cypriot businessman Orestes Fintiklis, who had bought a majority stake in the hotel condominium association, legally ousted them and had the Trump name removed from the building in 2015 and from the hotel March 5, 2018.[17] The hotel was temporarily renamed The Bahia Grand Panama prior to Marriott’s involvement.[18]
On March 22, the Panamanian law firm Britton and Iglesias unsuccessfully petitioned Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela to intercede and restore the Trump Organization's management team.[19][20]
On June 28, 2018, it was announced that the hotel would become a JW Marriott.[21] It was officially renamed on September 26, 2018.[22]
In June 2019 Fintiklis accused Trump companies of tax evasion.[23][24]

[NJCher]

6. this makes sense

If he takes office, we can look for more of this kind of stuff. He has usurped the presidency to carry on about his failures as a businessman. Like we care.
We need an effing president, not some baby crying the blues and exacting revenge over something that was most like a mess he made in the first place.

[Silent Type]

5. I think trump's initial comments were in response to fear of China's influence in area.

Then, he went irrational once again running his mouth and choking on his BS.

[C0RI0LANUS]

7. Since Russia will soon be an ally, the GOP and Fox News will need a bete noire to distract the base: China and Iran

On a personal and venal level, the Trumpf Organization was accused of tax evasion in Panama, so its "Giuliani time" (a defunct offensive NYPD invective hurled at defenseless suspects while they were being pummeled).

Source:

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-panama-canal-threats-hotel-taxes-court-filing-2005079

Below has probably less to do with his latest tirade, but with oligarchs and tax havens, who knows?



List of people in the Panama Papers:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_named_in_the_Panama_Papers


"We have to take what we have to, you know, take because the people are asking. And they're nice people with restaurants and haircuts in that country asking, and here, haircuts, and that's what I like, nice people. "

[LymphocyteLover]

8. News flash from the WSJ-- Trump is a lunatic and moron

maybe they could have pointed this out during the campaign?

[question everything]

9. They did, really. Since 2015 but of course prefer R White House and Congress

and like many were hoping for an adult in the room to restrain him.