In his speech, Trump vowed to lead a government that "expands our territory," referencing his ambitions to acquire Greenland from Denmark and reclaim U.S. control of the Panama Canal. However, the path to achieving these goals remains uncertain, as he is likely to face resistance both domestically and internationally.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s insistence that he wants to have the Panama Canal back under U.S. control is feeding nationalist sentiment and worry in Panama, home to the critical trade route and a country familiar with U.

Panama took full control of the canal in 1999, which it operates through the Panama Canal Authority (PCA). In December, Mr Trump threatened to seize control of the canal, declaring the waterway as vital to America’s security and economic interests but it was being run in a “very unfair and injudicious way”.

The new Panamanian ambassador was given strict instructions as he prepared to meet then-President Donald Trump one day in 2019: Do not engage him in any substantive discussion of critical issues.