President Donald Trump has vowed to “take back” the Panama Canal, arguing that Panama has violated its neutrality pledge and allowed China to gain control over the waterway.

Emphasizing the canal’s strategic importance—a vital trade route built by the U.S. to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans—he warned that it must not fall into the “wrong hands.”

The canal is crucial to global trade, with over two-thirds of its cargo linked to the U.S., making it a key asset for both the global and American economies.

Trump has also criticized Panama for high toll fees, claiming that American ships and the U.S. Navy are being unfairly charged. He warns that allowing China to control or restrict access to the canal would pose a serious threat to U.S. national security.

At a Senate hearing on the Panama Canal, legal scholar Eugene Kontorovich argued that the U.S. has “preemptive authority” to intervene if China’s influence or high passage fees compromise the canal’s neutrality.

He cited the 1977 treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter, which transferred sovereignty to Panama but granted the U.S. the right to defend its neutrality.

Testimony from Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Louis Sola further underscored China’s growing presence in Panama since 2015, including Belt and Road Initiative projects and state-owned companies linked to the People’s Liberation Army.

Senator Ted Cruz warned against allowing China to expand its influence in the Western Hemisphere, while shipping industry experts emphasized the canal’s critical role in U.S. trade, noting that 75% of its traffic is linked to the United States.

With growing concerns over neutrality, economic leverage, and national security, the future of the Panama Canal remains uncertain.

Though the treaty permits military action to restore neutrality, it does not justify a permanent U.S. takeover, leaving the path forward uncertain.

However, even if a U.S. takeover were temporary, it would be logical for Washington to insist that Panama can only resume control of the canal once it demonstrates the ability and commitment to defend it.

Yet, without a standing army, Panama would struggle to prove that it is capable of ensuring the canal’s security against external threats.

Panama does not have a standing military, having abolished its armed forces in 1990 following the U.S. invasion that removed Manuel Noriega.

In 1994, this abolition was cemented in the country’s constitution, making Panama one of the few nations without a formal military.

Instead, security is maintained by the Public Forces, which include the National Police for internal security, the National Aeronaval Service (SENAN) for maritime and aerial defense, the National Border Service (SENAFRONT) for border security, and the Institutional Protection Service (SPI) for government and infrastructure protection.

While these forces handle domestic threats, Panama lacks the capability to defend the Panama Canal against a major external threat, relying instead on regional alliances and U.S. security cooperation.

This raises concerns about whether Panama alone can ensure the canal’s neutrality, particularly amid growing tensions over China’s economic influence in the region.

China’s involvement in the Panama Canal began in 1996 when Panama outsourced management of its entry ports—Cristóbal on the Atlantic and Balboa on the Pacific—to Hutchison Whampoa, a Hong Kong-based company.

At the time, U.S. officials viewed the deal as non-threatening, since Hong Kong was still under British rule.

However, after Hong Kong’s return to Chinese control in 1997, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) gained influence over Hutchison’s global operations, raising long-term strategic concerns.

Today, the Panama Canal faces growing risks from China’s commercial presence, embedded technologies, and strategic infrastructure projects.

These factors increase Beijing’s ability to disrupt or control the canal, a scenario that could have global security implications.

As these concerns intensify, it becomes increasingly urgent for Panama and its allies to address the strategic consequences of China’s influence in the region.

China’s dominance is not limited to Panama. Across Latin America, it employs aggressive tactics to secure critical infrastructure and resources.

Huawei has offered free 5G kits to Brazilian agribusinesses, while bribery has been used to secure contracts, as seen with El Salvadoran officials for a port deal in 2019, road projects in Bolivia, and a hydroelectric project in Ecuador involving former President Lenin Moreno.

This relentless push reflects Beijing’s broader strategy to control vital infrastructure, telecommunications, and natural resources, positioning itself as a dominant global power and a growing threat to U.S. interests.

Speaking at a Turning Point USA rally, he proposed restoring U.S. control over the canal, citing both national security risks and Panama’s apparent violation of treaty obligations.

While Trump suggested that diplomatic pressure could force Panama to remove China’s presence, he did not rule out military action if necessary.

His stance underscores the growing urgency of protecting the canal from foreign adversaries, particularly China, whose increasing influence threatens U.S. security and global stability.

The post Trump Is Right About Securing the Panama Canal appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

President Trump on Wednesday rescinded his OMB memo on his federal spending freeze.

The White House clarified that Trump did not rescind the federal funding freeze.

“It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “Why? To end any confusion created by the court’s injunction.”

“The President’s EO’s on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented,” Karoline Leavitt added.

This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze.

It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo.

Why? To end any confusion created by the court’s injunction.

The President’s EO’s on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 29, 2025

On Monday, Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) put a temporary pause of agency grant, loan and other financial assistance programs.

“The American people elected Donald J. Trump to be President of the United States and gave him a mandate to increase the impact of every federal taxpayer dollar. In Fiscal Year 2024,of the nearly $10 trillion that the Federal Government spent, more than $3 trillion was Federal financial assistance, such as grants and loans,” the OMB said.

“This memorandum requires Federal agencies to identify and review all Federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with the President’s policies and requirements,” the OMB memo said.

This temporary pause will provide the Administration time to review agency programs and determine the best uses of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and thePresident’s priorities. The temporary pause will become effective on January 28, 2025, at 5:00 PM. Even before completing their comprehensive analysis, Federal agencies must immediately identify any legally mandated actions or deadlines for assistance programs arising while the pause remains in effect. Federal agencies must report this information to OMB along with ananalysis of the requirement. OMB also directs Federal agencies to pause all activities associated with open NOFOs, such as conducting merit review panels,” the OMB added.

NBC News reported:

President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday rescinded an order putting a widespread freeze on most federal grants and loans amid significant criticism, according to a new memo a source provided to NBC News.

A senior administration official confirmed the rescission Wednesday.

The initial order, which sparked chaos and confusion across Washington, was temporarily halted by a federal district judge Tuesday evening.

The directive from the Office of Management and Budget came Monday night, directing federal agencies to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal.”

A judge temporarily blocked Trump’s order to freeze federal funding on public loans and grants.

Judge Loren AliKhan, a Biden appointee, granted a temporary stay on Trump’s plan to freeze federal funding.

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The beginning of the second administration of President Donald Trump has many Americans rightly optimistic about the economy. His fiscal policies and plans for tariffs offer bright spots compared to what America experienced under Joe Biden.

But there are still concerns. There are still major threats that prompt Americans to worry about their retirement accounts. The sudden rise of a Chinese AI app was enough to take the fickle stock market into a very dark place, erasing trillions of dollars in wealth in a day.

“The difference between physical precious metals and other investments is stability,” said Jonathan Rose, CEO of Genesis Gold Group. “The stock market is just one bit of major bad news away from crashing at any given moment, even with strong leadership in the White House.”

Rose’s company is both faith-driven and patriotic, adhering to the America First values that President Trump embraces. This is why they help Americans with tax-free rollovers or transfers of their retirement accounts into Genesis Gold IRAs backed by physical precious metals.

Events such as the introduction of DeepSeek hit most markets hard, but not gold and silver. Instead, their status as “safe haven” assets protected their values, according to MarketGauge Chief Strategist Michele Schneider. She said it’s not surprising precious metals are holding their ground.

“From a technical standpoint, you cannot deny gold’s bullish case, as it has been outperforming the SPY,” she said. “But we need to recognize that price will dictate the narrative. I would like to see gold break $2,800; if it does, it could easily reach $3,000.”

A recent London Bullion Market Association survey pinned gold as possibly hitting $3,290 and silver hitting $43.50 in 2025. Other more bullish projections put both much higher, including economist Martin Armstrong who believes devaluing the U.S. Dollar—as President Trump plans to do—will crash the stock markets.

Meanwhile, the coming tariffs are pointing many investors to the financial higher ground of precious metals.

“Gold is having its good days, managing to rise despite headwinds from a rising dollar and stabilizing stocks,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodities strategy at Saxo Bank A/S. “The world remains a very uncertain place which continues to provide support for havens such as gold.”

Americans who want to learn how to protect their wealth or retirement can reach out to Genesis Gold Group today.

The post If Market Volatility Is Concerning, This Faith-Driven IRA Company Has Solutions appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.