Pentagon ordered to draw up plans to ‘reclaim' Panama Canal
Donald Trump has ordered his military to draw up options to 'reclaim' the Panama Canal – including by force.
The president has repeatedly said he wants the US to regain control of the strategically important waterway, which was handed over to the Panamanians by American authorities in 1999.
Wide-ranging proposals being developed by the US Southern Command include a new partnership with Panamanian security forces, an increase in troop numbers in the region and seizing the canal by force, officials told NBC News.
The sources said the use of force would depend on whether Panamanian security forces would agree to co-operate with the US in a partnership.
Mr Trump wants to reclaim the canal in order to diminish China's influence in the region, the officials added.
Panama has denied claims that it has granted Beijing greater influence over the waterway in recent years and said only its government could determine the canal's future.
Tensions between the US and China have risen since Mr Trump returned to the White House in January, with Beijing accusing Washington of 'coercing' Panama to block aid projects.
On Thursday, a comment piece in a state-backed newspaper urged CK Hutchison, a Hong Kong conglomerate, to 'think twice' about plans to sell most of its ports business, including assets in the Panama Canal, to US firm BlackRock as part of a $22.8 billion (£17.6 billion) deal.
The article, which was shared by China's office for Hong Kong affairs, accused the US of using 'despicable means' to force through the deal, which it said would harm Chinese trade.
'[Critics] say this is a spineless, grovelling, profit-seeking move that sells one's integrity for personal gains, and an act that disregards national interests ... [which] betrays and sells out all Chinese people,' said the opinion piece.
The Panama Canal is one of the world's busiest waterways, with the majority of cargo passing through heading to or from the US.
A series of draft strategies were presented to Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, earlier this week, ahead of his trip to the Central American country next month.
Mr Trump reportedly wants a visible increase in the number of troops in Panama as a show of force. Some 200 troops are currently stationed there.
Washington could also position troops near Panama in the event of a regional war or conflict involving the US. In that scenario, officials said troops would seize the canal, blocking China's access to it.
However, an invasion of Panama is unlikely, officials said. They added that an increase in troops in the region would probably be enough to ward off other foreign influence.
Mr Trump believes China's presence in the area is too great, and fears Beijing could shut access to the canal to American shipping in the event of a conflict.
Panama gained control of the waterway under a 1977 treaty signed by Jimmy Carter, the then US president, though it did not come into effect for another two decades.
Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, told Panamanian authorities during a visit last month that the status quo of Chinese presence in the region was 'unacceptable'.
Jose Raul Mulino, Panama's president, told Mr Rubio that only his government could administer the canal and denied giving China power over the waterway.
Last year, Gen Laura Richardson, who at the time headed the US Southern Command, accused China of 'playing the long game' in attempting to gain control of the canal.
While Beijing insisted its intentions were peaceful, Gen Richardson said it was targeting 'strategic naval choke points'.
Mr Trump's promise to 'reclaim' the canal is part of his wider strategy to expand US influence. He has pledged to make Canada America's '51st state' and to 'get Greenland'.
On Thursday, the chairman of Denmark's defence committee said any move to acquire Greenland would mean 'war between two Nato countries'.
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