{"id":2399633,"date":"2025-02-06T09:31:01","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T14:31:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-department-surprises-panama-with-claim-of-fee-cut-for-government-ships-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-02-06T09:31:52","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T14:31:52","slug":"state-department-surprises-panama-with-claim-of-fee-cut-for-government-ships-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-department-surprises-panama-with-claim-of-fee-cut-for-government-ships-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"State Department surprises Panama with claim of fee cut for government ships &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fstate-department-surprises-panama-with-claim-of-fee-cut-for-government-ships-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2399633&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The U.S. State Department recently declared that U.S.government ships could\u200c transit the \u2063Panama Canal without incurring any fees, \u2063claiming this would save millions of dollars annually. However, \u2062the Panama Canal Authority quickly refuted this announcement, stating that there had been no changes to\u200b the fee\u200b structure. The Authority is prepared to engage in discussions about transit arrangements, particularly for U.S. Navy vessels, but highlighted that a neutrality clause in the treaty governing the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">canal\u200b restricts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">preferential treatment<\/a><\/a>\u200c for any country. The\u200d canal is \u2064strategically important, with around 40 U.S. Navy vessels passing through annually. The context includes a recent visit\u200c by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Panama,\u2063 where he met the Panamanian President and discussed various issues, including \u2062U.S. ambitions\u2062 regarding the\u200b Panama Canal, which have\u200d drawn public\u200d statements from former President Donald Trump.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">State Department surprises Panama with claim of fee cut for government ships<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1973522\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-state\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"State Department\">State Department<\/a> surprised Panama with the announcement that U.S. government ships would pass through the <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/panama-canal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Panama Canal\">Panama Canal<\/a> for free.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>In a Wednesday X post, the State Department <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/StateDept\/status\/1887299247051317365\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"announced\">announced<\/a> that U.S. government vessels could now transit the Panama Canal without paying fees, &ldquo;saving the U.S. government millions of dollars a year.&rdquo; However, the Panama Canal Authority quickly denied the claim.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Secretary of State Marco Rubio boards a plane at Panama Pacifico International Airport in Panama City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, en route to El Salvador. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;The Panama Canal Authority, which is empowered to set tolls and other fees for transiting the canal, reports that it has not made any adjustments to them,&rdquo; a statement from the body read, adding that it was ready to hold a dialogue &ldquo;regarding the transit of wartime vessels from said country.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"es\" dir=\"ltr\">Comunicado del Canal de Panam&aacute;. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/huTl3d7wz7\">pic.twitter.com\/huTl3d7wz7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Canal de Panam&aacute; (@canaldepanama) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/canaldepanama\/status\/1887352406955987056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 6, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The exchange comes days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Panama, during which he met with Panamanian President Jos&eacute; Ra&uacute;l Mulino and toured the canal.<\/p>\n<p>People familiar with the discussions told the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em> that Panamanian officials view the State Department&rsquo;s statement as a way to back them into a corner.<\/p>\n<p>Behind closed doors, both sides agreed to discuss the possibility of U.S. Navy ships being granted free passage. The move is complicated by a neutrality clause in the treaty that handed over the canal to Panama that prevents the preferential treatment of any country.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-delivers-ultimate-christmas-post-mocks-trudeau-and-says-go-to-hell-to-1-group-of-people\/\" title=\"Trump Delivers Ultimate Christmas Post, Mocks Trudeau, and Says &#039;Go to Hell&#039; to 1 Group of People\">canal&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s administrator,&nbsp;Ricaurte V&aacute;squez Morales, said last week that removing the clause would lead to chaos.<\/p>\n<p>An average of 40 U.S. Navy vessels travel through the Panama Canal per year, making up about 0.5% of all traffic. Waiving transit fees would save the U.S. $13 million annually, according to the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Despite Rubio obtaining concessions from Mulino, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his desire to retake the Panama Canal on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;China is running the Panama Canal that was not given to China, that was given to Panama foolishly, but they violated the agreement, and we&rsquo;re going to take it back, or something very powerful is going to happen,&rdquo; he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/3308276\/trump-again-vows-to-take-back-panama-canal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"said\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Panama Canal has emerged as one of Trump&rsquo;s territorial ambitions for his second term, alongside Greenland. The current heads of both have said that any acquisition of the territories is nonnegotiable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1973522\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1973522\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>State Department surprises Panama with claim of free transit for U.S. ships<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2399634,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Panama-Rubio.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[49926,49927,14441,32895],"class_list":["post-2399633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-fee-cut","tag-government-ships","tag-panama","tag-state-department"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Panama-Rubio.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2399633"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399633\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2399637,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399633\/revisions\/2399637"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2399634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2399633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2399633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2399633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}