Marco Rubio

It is not in the national interest of the United States to have a canal we paid for and we built used as a leverage and a weapon against us. That can't happen. So what's the solution? Well, that's what we're going to have to talk about. And I think the president's pretty clear he wants to administer the canal again. Obviously, the Panamanians are not big fans of that idea.

But that message has been brought very clear. And there are a lot of other areas we can work very closely with Panama on. I mean, their government generally is pro-American on a number of fronts. But this is a core national interest for us. We can work together on a lot of things, and there are a lot of things we can work with them on that are very positive on migration.

But that message has been brought very clear. And there are a lot of other areas we can work very closely with Panama on. I mean, their government generally is pro-American on a number of fronts. But this is a core national interest for us. We can work together on a lot of things, and there are a lot of things we can work with them on that are very positive on migration.

But that message has been brought very clear. And there are a lot of other areas we can work very closely with Panama on. I mean, their government generally is pro-American on a number of fronts. But this is a core national interest for us. We can work together on a lot of things, and there are a lot of things we can work with them on that are very positive on migration.

And they can be very helpful on all sorts of things. And I hope we'll get resolution to those very soon. But that does not in any way replace the core reality that the Panama Canal, we cannot allow any foreign power, particularly China, to hold that kind of potential control over that they do. That just can't continue. But what could they do?

And they can be very helpful on all sorts of things. And I hope we'll get resolution to those very soon. But that does not in any way replace the core reality that the Panama Canal, we cannot allow any foreign power, particularly China, to hold that kind of potential control over that they do. That just can't continue. But what could they do?

And they can be very helpful on all sorts of things. And I hope we'll get resolution to those very soon. But that does not in any way replace the core reality that the Panama Canal, we cannot allow any foreign power, particularly China, to hold that kind of potential control over that they do. That just can't continue. But what could they do?

Hong Kong-based companies having control over the entry and exit points of the canal is completely unacceptable. That cannot continue. If there's a conflict and China tells them, do everything you can to obstruct the canal so that the US can't engage in trade and commerce, so that the US military and naval fleet cannot get to the Indo-Pacific fast enough, they would have to do it.

Hong Kong-based companies having control over the entry and exit points of the canal is completely unacceptable. That cannot continue. If there's a conflict and China tells them, do everything you can to obstruct the canal so that the US can't engage in trade and commerce, so that the US military and naval fleet cannot get to the Indo-Pacific fast enough, they would have to do it.

Hong Kong-based companies having control over the entry and exit points of the canal is completely unacceptable. That cannot continue. If there's a conflict and China tells them, do everything you can to obstruct the canal so that the US can't engage in trade and commerce, so that the US military and naval fleet cannot get to the Indo-Pacific fast enough, they would have to do it.

They would have to do it, and they would do it. And now we have a major problem on our hands. That's number one. Number two, we have to talk about the fact that we built this thing. We paid for it. Thousands of people died doing this, Americans. And somehow our naval vessels who go through there and American shipping that goes through there pays rates, some cases higher.

They would have to do it, and they would do it. And now we have a major problem on our hands. That's number one. Number two, we have to talk about the fact that we built this thing. We paid for it. Thousands of people died doing this, Americans. And somehow our naval vessels who go through there and American shipping that goes through there pays rates, some cases higher.

They would have to do it, and they would do it. And now we have a major problem on our hands. That's number one. Number two, we have to talk about the fact that we built this thing. We paid for it. Thousands of people died doing this, Americans. And somehow our naval vessels who go through there and American shipping that goes through there pays rates, some cases higher.

than other countries are paying, for example, a vessel from China. That's also not acceptable. It was a terrible deal when it was made. It should never have been allowed. They're going to tell you that it's set by an independent administrative entity and not the government. That's their internal problem. They'll have to figure that out.

than other countries are paying, for example, a vessel from China. That's also not acceptable. It was a terrible deal when it was made. It should never have been allowed. They're going to tell you that it's set by an independent administrative entity and not the government. That's their internal problem. They'll have to figure that out.

than other countries are paying, for example, a vessel from China. That's also not acceptable. It was a terrible deal when it was made. It should never have been allowed. They're going to tell you that it's set by an independent administrative entity and not the government. That's their internal problem. They'll have to figure that out.

But we should not be in a position of having to pay more than other countries. In fact, we should be getting a discount or maybe for free because we paid for the thing.

But we should not be in a position of having to pay more than other countries. In fact, we should be getting a discount or maybe for free because we paid for the thing.

But we should not be in a position of having to pay more than other countries. In fact, we should be getting a discount or maybe for free because we paid for the thing.

Well, I would argue that the canal is already in the arms of the Chinese. So, I mean, that's one aspect I would say. And we can't operate that way. Like, we can't operate in the world saying, well, we can't defend our national interest because if not, these countries will turn to China against us. I mean, we wouldn't allow that to happen. It would be against our national interest.