US President Donald Trump has criticised the historic transfer of control of the Panama Canal to Panama, arguing that the United States should never have relinquished the strategic waterway and warning that China is seeking to expand its influence there.

Speaking at the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, Trump also renewed his criticism of birthright citizenship and praised recent Supreme Court decisions that he said strengthened presidential authority.

Trump Targets Panama Canal Transfer

Trump said the United States made a mistake by handing over control of the Panama Canal, claiming Panama substantially increased transit fees after assuming control of the route.

“The Panama Canal, so we gave it away. The first thing they did, you know what they did? They raised the prices for the ships by four times, and they didn’t lose one ship. And then they raised it again twice, and they didn’t lose one ship. All they did was make tremendous amounts of money for years and years. How stupid was that?” Trump said.

He also alleged that China was attempting to gain greater influence over the canal and vowed that the United States would oppose such efforts.

“And now China’s trying to take over the Panama Canal, and we’re not going to let that happen, okay?” Trump said.

His remarks referred to the transfer of the canal under the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which led to Panama assuming full control of the waterway in 1999.

President Renews Criticism Of Birthright Citizenship

Trump also returned to one of his long-standing policy priorities, arguing that birthright citizenship had been incorrectly interpreted.

He said he believed the principle was originally intended to protect the children of formerly enslaved people after the Civil War rather than apply broadly to all individuals born in the United States.

“We’ll take care of the birthright citizenship because that was not meant for rich people from other countries. It was meant for the babies of slaves,” Trump said.

“I believe, no, I know they got it wrong, but that’s okay,” he added.

The comments came days after the US Supreme Court ruled against efforts by the Trump administration to restrict birthright citizenship, preserving the constitutional principle while limiting the scope of nationwide injunctions in related cases.

Trump Praises Supreme Court On Presidential Powers

Despite criticising the court’s handling of birthright citizenship, Trump praised recent Supreme Court decisions that he said restored authority to the presidency.

He highlighted a ruling issued on June 29 that expanded the president’s ability to remove leaders of executive branch agencies.

The decision overturned a legal precedent that had limited presidential authority to dismiss certain Senate-confirmed officials.

Referring to the ruling, Trump said: “You know, a little while ago, not in yesterday’s decisions where we actually had a good day except for birthright citizenship, we had something that gives back tremendous power to the President of the United States.”

He described the judgement as one of the most significant Supreme Court decisions in decades.

Claims Decision Reverses Long-Standing Restrictions

Trump argued that presidential authority had been constrained for nearly a century and said the court’s ruling corrected that imbalance.

“It gives power back to the president at a time when the president really needs power. It was the most important decision of all of them, I think,” he said.

The president also referenced a legal dispute he associated with former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, claiming the issue had remained unresolved for decades.

Trump’s remarks combined several key themes that have featured prominently in his second term, including concerns over China’s global influence, efforts to reshape immigration policy and a continued push to expand executive authority.

The comments are likely to add to ongoing debates in Washington over presidential powers, immigration law and the strategic significance of major international trade routes such as the Panama Canal.

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