Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) on Thursday criticized President-elect Trump for saying the U.S. ought to take management of the Panama Canal and buy Greenland.
“It’s completely preposterous to recommend that we’re going to ship our army into Panama to, quote, ‘take again the Panama Canal,'” Wasserman Schultz mentioned throughout a Thursday look on CNN.
“We have a treaty with Panama. We have a free trade agreement with Panama,” she added.
“We are no more going to take back the Panama Canal than Panama is going to come in and try to take the Mississippi River from us.”
Trump has repeatedly mentioned over the previous week that management of the Panama Canal, which has been in Panamanian arms for the reason that Nineteen Seventies, ought to return to the U.S. He has complained about “exorbitant prices” and mentioned the U.S. is “being ripped off.”
“The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S.,” Trump wrote on Reality Social.
Trump has additionally mentioned proudly owning Greenland is “an absolute necessity” for the U.S.
Officers from Panama and Greenland have pushed again vehemently on the thought.
Wasserman Schultz referred to as remarks about each areas “ridiculous carnival barker threats.”
She mentioned Trump’s prompt truthful costs for the Panama Canal would solely profit billionaires in his circle.
“What Donald Trump is really trying to do here is try to get better fees for passage for his corporate and billionaire allies,” she mentioned. “That’s what this boils down to. And it’s preposterous.”
The Florida Democrat additionally criticized Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Panama, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera.
The Florida consultant described him as one other choose with a “scant resume” who “worships” the previous president.
