Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), outgoing chair of the Senate Overseas Relations Committee, stated on Sunday that President-elect Trump’s remarks about Panama have bigger penalties on America’s credibility overseas.
“It’s a serious statement because it affects America’s credibility globally. Our allies don’t know whether we are reliable partners or not. The Panama Canal obligations were established by a treaty ratified by Congress, by this U.S. Senate,” Cardin stated about Trump’s remarks.
“So I don’t know what the president-elect is saying in regards to how sincere he is, but I can tell you, it does raise questions globally as to whether we’re a reliable partner. And it really feeds in to Russia and China appeal to other countries as to whether they need to make alliances with Russia and China, whether America will be there for them globally,” he continued.
Final Sunday, Trump urged to a convention of his supporters that the Panama Canal be returned to U.S. management, vowing swift motion over the matter after he takes workplace in lower than one month.
“It was given to Panama and to the people of Panama, but it has provisions. You got to treat us fairly, and they haven’t treated us fairly,” Trump stated at Turning Level USA’s “American Fest.”
“If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America in full, quickly and without question,” Trump added.
When an viewers member yelled, “Take it back,” Trump replied, “That’s a good idea.”
Cardin urged he noticed a similarity in the best way Trump talked about pulling out of NATO throughout his first administration.
“We saw the same type of statements made during his previous administration when he threatened to pull out of NATO. These are treaty obligations which our allies rely upon, and it raises serious concerns about whether America will be there for them,” Cardin stated.
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