Sec. Hegseth: ‘The Leadership of Panama Are Eagerly Pro-American’; ‘Panama Canal Is Strategic Key Terrain’

CAIN Talk to us ░░░░░░░░ this memorandum of understanding ░░░░░░░░ trip you just made ░░░░░░░░ Panama and the update ░░░░░░░░ gave the president Tell ░░░░░░░░ what it means to ░░░░░░░░ first and free through ░░░░░░░░ canal Hegseth Yeah Will ░░░░░░░░ got it right This ░░░░░░░░ about malign Chinese influence ░░░░░░░░ is a power play ░░░░░░░░ the Chinese in our ░░░░░░░░ on what in the ░░░░░░░░ we call key terrain ░░░░░░░░ Canal is strategic key ░░░░░░░░ You mentioned the 40 ░░░░░░░░ are U S ships ░░░░░░░░ 75 percent of the ░░░░░░░░ that goes through the ░░░░░░░░ Canal either originates from ░░░░░░░░ is going to a ░░░░░░░░ S port And you ░░░░░░░░ the history there of ░░░░░░░░ investment This is something ░░░░░░░░ ve been involved in ░░░░░░░░ quite some time And ░░░░░░░░ we had a chance ░░░░░░░░ go down there with ░░░░░░░░ large group of U ░░░░░░░░ soldiers and ships and ░░░░░░░░ to meet with their ░░░░░░░░ and say we want ░░░░░░░░ help you remove Chinese ░░░░░░░░ And thankfully the leadership ░░░░░░░░ Panama are eagerly pro ░░░░░░░░ and they ve demonstrated ░░░░░░░░ already They kicked out ░░░░░░░░ Belt and Road Initiative ░░░░░░░░ Senator when Secretary of ░░░░░░░░ Rubio was there a ░░░░░░░░ months ago They re ░░░░░░░░ did an audit on ░░░░░░░░ control of those Chinese ░░░░░░░░ which unsubscribe unsurprisingly excuse ░░░░░░░░ had huge fraud inside ░░░░░░░░ and that s been ░░░░░░░░ And so those are ░░░░░░░░ for sale and likely ░░░░░░░░ to BlackRock which again ░░░░░░░░ take away more Chinese ░░░░░░░░ And we arrived with ░░░░░░░░ simple message is we ░░░░░░░░ to be your partner ░░░░░░░░ securing this strategic piece ░░░░░░░░ key terrain And so ░░░░░░░░ they have a very ░░░░░░░░ constitutional structure there which ░░░░░░░░ respect and understand Part ░░░░░░░░ it is an independent ░░░░░░░░ authority and we work ░░░░░░░░ with them to put ░░░░░░░░ a framework which allows ░░░░░░░░ S flag military vessels ░░░░░░░░ auxiliary ships to travel ░░░░░░░░ and free through the ░░░░░░░░ Canal unlimited And we ░░░░░░░░ got Coast Guard ships ░░░░░░░░ Navy ships down there ░░░░░░░░ the time And that ░░░░░░░░ separate from a memorandum ░░░░░░░░ understanding I signed with ░░░░░░░░ defense minister their minister ░░░░░░░░ security which allows for ░░░░░░░░ U S troops on ░░░░░░░░ rotational basis at Fort ░░░░░░░░ which is an old ░░░░░░░░ S Army base that ░░░░░░░░ ll revive there along ░░░░░░░░ the Panamanians which is ░░░░░░░░ one of the sides ░░░░░░░░ the Panama Canal along ░░░░░░░░ the naval station and ░░░░░░░░ air base So we ░░░░░░░░ rotate and partner with ░░░░░░░░ and that s part ░░░░░░░░ ensuring Chinese influence does ░░░░░░░░ control that canal It ░░░░░░░░ in our direct U ░░░░░░░░ interest Will to ensure ░░░░░░░░ waterway is free and ░░░░░░░░ our ships can transit ░░░░░░░░ So two historic arrangements ░░░░░░░░ serve American interests and ░░░░░░░░ would never have happened ░░░░░░░░ President Trump without President ░░░░░░░░ saying this is important ░░░░░░░░ can t have it ░░░░░░░░ didn t build it ░░░░░░░░ won t operate it ░░░░░░░░ is key terrain for ░░░░░░░░ U S and for ░░░░░░░░ and we ll partner ░░░░░░░░ to keep China out.”