Florida GOP Rep. Carlos Gimenez called Trump’s idiotic threat to reclaim the Panama Canal “legitimate” during an interview on Fox Business Network this Monday.
No mention, of course, of The Trump Organization’s business disputes with the country.
WEBSTER: Congressman, is Donald Trump right? Are we being ripped off on the Panama Canal? What do you think?
GIMINEZ: He very well could be right that that we’re getting ripped off, but, what’s most concerning is China’s influence on Panama and the Panama Canal Authority. China has a way of trying to either buy or coerce, different influencers or politicians,, to do their bidding.
And a couple of years ago we had we had concerns and we had reports that some of the members of that Panamanian Canal Authority had in fact been been coerced or co-opted by the Chinese Communist Party and so yeah he has, he has legitimate concerns when it comes to the Panama Canal.
WEBSTER: Fascinating, could we take it back, do you know?
GIMINEZ: I don’t know. I haven’t read the fine print, but apparently he has, and there has to be provisions there that say that they have to treat the United States a certain way.
If they have been violating that then I don’t know, maybe there is. You know, I always take him seriously even though they may sound a little bit, you know, out there, I always take the president seriously and it’s and it’s legitimate threat to Panama. He wants a better deal and I think we need to get a better deal from from Panama and also we need to get rid of Chinese influence on the Panama Canal.
WEBSTER: Yeah. Very good
Sorry pal, but we know what this is really about.
They thought they were voting for cheaper bacon and they got new conflicts with the EU, Mexico, Canada and Panama.
— Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) December 21, 2024 at 8:07 PM
What could Trump have against Panama?
Oh.
— Judd Legum (@juddlegum.bsky.social) December 22, 2024 at 7:08 AM
Trump’s anger with Panama has nothing to do with the Canal. As usual, it is all about him and the taxes he didn’t pay on his Panama hotel that was used to launder drug money. www.propublica.org/article/trum…
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@mrsbettybowers.bsky.social) December 22, 2024 at 9:58 AM
Krista Wilson is a news writer for Axe News Room. She has been with the company since 2017. Her favorite topics to write about include local politics and entertainment, but she also enjoys writing about national politics when she can find time between her other assignments.
