Donald Trump has said repeatedly that he wants to “take back” the Panama Canal but has not offered specifics about how he would do so. Here is an explanation of the history and laws governing the critical waterway.

The Panama Canal, a vital global waterway, is at the heart of recent political rhetoric by Donald Trump, who claims an intention to reclaim U.S. control. Although Trump cites issues such as excessive tolls and Chinese influence,

Trump and his team are right to recognize Panama’s strategic importance, but they are wrong in how they are approaching the issue. During his inaugural address in January, President Trump proclaimed that “China is operating the Panama Canal” and promised that the United States would be “taking it back.

A group of investors led by BlackRock is to acquire the two strategic ports of Cristobal and Balboa in the Panama Canal for more than 22 billion dollars. "My administration is going to take back the Panama Canal,