Trump's Talk of the Panama Canal Taps Into Old Myths About U.S. Power.

The article examines President Donald Trump's repeated threats to reclaim control of the Panama Canal, highlighting how his rhetoric revives a longstanding American narrative that portrays U.S. involvement as a generous gift, despite historical realities of imperialism and exploitation. It traces the origins of U.S. control over the canal zone to Theodore Roosevelt's support for Panama's independence from Colombia in 1903 and the subsequent treaty granting the U.S. sovereign-like authority over the canal territory. The piece emphasizes that Panama's sovereignty was compromised for decades, with the canal's construction and operation relying heavily on Panamanian land, labor, and resources, a fact often obscured by U.S. celebratory narratives. Although Panama gained full control of the canal in 1999 and has since successfully managed and expanded it, Trump's statements reflect enduring myths that overlook Panama's central role and the complex history of U.S.-Panama relations.