A cargo boat navigates on the Panama Canal next to the expansion project of the Panama Canal on the Pacific side in Panama City, November 17, 2015. (Reuters)
PANAMA DENIES STATE DEPT CLAIM THAT IT IS ELIMINATING FEES FOR US GOV VESSELS USING CANAL
The president, who has criticized the six-figure premiums imposed on U.S. ships traveling along the vital waterway, previously suggested repurchasing the canal.
It was built by the U.S. over the span of multiple decades, but was eventually handed over to Panama during the Carter administration.
The "Panama Canal Repurchase Act," a bill that was recently introduced in Congress, would give Trump the authority to negotiate with appropriate Panamanian government officials to reacquire the Panama Canal.
Two cargo ships enter the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal in Panama City on Jan. 22. (Martin Bernetti/AFP via Getty Images)
The canal could be used as leverage for China in U.S. tariff negotiations.
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Hegseth will also visit Eglin Air Force Base in Florida to meet with military members and leadership at the 7th Special Forces Group, according to the AP.
Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Alexandra Koch is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Prior to joining Fox News, Alexandra covered breaking news, crime, religion, and the military in the southeast.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sec-hegseth-visit-panama-after-trumps-demands-canals-return