The President writes on his own platform Truth Social that both commercial and military vessels from the USA should be allowed to pass through the two canals for free.
"These canals would not exist if it weren't for the USA", claims Donald Trump.
He writes that he has tasked Foreign Minister Marco Rubio with taking care of the situation "immediately".
Donald Trump has on several occasions expressed that he wants the USA to "take back" control over the strategic trade route that the USA financed, partially built, and controlled until 1999. This, among other things, with reference to his desire to reduce China's influence over the Panama Canal.
The Suez Canal, which runs between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, previously accounted for 10 percent of the world's maritime trade.
This figure has decreased since the Iran-backed Houthi movement, in connection with the war in Gaza, began attacking shipping in the Red Sea. This has forced several freight giants to instead take the detour around Africa's southern tip. According to Egypt, the canal's revenue decreased by 60 percent last year.
The US military has attacked Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen since January 2024, attacks that have intensified since Donald Trump took office.
The Suez Canal, between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, was completed in 1869. French financiers and the Egyptian government were the main owners of the Suez Canal Company, and a few years after its opening, Britain bought into the company.
