A recent memo from the House GOP Policy Committee indicates that House Republican leadership is backing President Donald Trump's interest in returning the Panama Canal to U.S. ownership. The memo, distributed by Chairman Kevin Hern, highlights Trump's concerns about China's influence over the canal and his intention to 'take it back.'
The document outlines the history of the Panama Canal, emphasizing that it was built by the U.S. between 1904 and 1914 and leased to the U.S. for nearly 75 years under the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty of 1903. It mentions that Panama gained control of the canal under former President Jimmy Carter, a move criticized by Trump.
