President Donald Trump has called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to pursue his administration’s efforts to secure free passage for U.S. ships through two vital shipping lanes.
As the president has repeatedly asserted the importance of the Panama and Suez canals to the U.S., his latest message on the issue reminded that the routes “would not exist” without America.
“American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals!” Trump posted on Truth Social over the weekend.
“Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America,” he wrote.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 26, 2025
“I’ve asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately take care of, and memorialize, this situation!” the president added.
Citing U.S. Department of Transportation data, Fox Business noted that in fiscal year 2023, the Panama Canal “generated approximately $3.3 billion in toll revenues, with U.S. vessels making up about 70% of total canal traffic.”
“On average, it costs a commercial vessel anywhere from $200,000 to $450,000 to cross the Panama Canal, depending on ship size and cargo, based on canal authority pricing schedules. In some cases — like liquefied natural gas carriers — tolls can reach over $500,000 per transit,” the outlet reported. “The Suez Canal, meanwhile, charges similarly steep rates. Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority reported $9.4 billion in revenues in 2023, an all-time high, heavily fueled by U.S. and European shipping amid Red Sea disruptions.”
American companies could see hundreds of millions of dollars in savings annually if the president’s move is successful.
Soon after Trump’s post, Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino posted a message on X, though he did not mention the U.S. president by name.
“The Neutrality Treaty and the Organic Law of @canaldepanama regulate transits and costs for all vessels through our Canal. There is no agreement to the contrary. The ACP is responsible for establishing the agreed-upon cooperation in compliance with the aforementioned regulations,” his translated post reads.
El Tratado de Neutralidad, la Ley Orgánica de @canaldepanama regulan los tránsitos y costos de éstos, de todas las naves, por nuestro Canal. No hay ningún acuerdo en contrario. La cooperación convenida corresponde a la ACP establecerla con apego a las normas antes dichas.
— José Raúl Mulino (@JoseRaulMulino) April 26, 2025
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Frieda@bizpacreview.com
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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