“The White House has directed the U.S. military to draw up options for increasing the American troop presence in Panama to achieve President Trump’s goal of ‘reclaiming’ the Panama Canal,” NBC News reports.
“U.S. Southern Command is developing potential plans that vary from partnering more closely with the Panamanian military to the less likely option of U.S. troops seizing the Panama Canal by force, the officials said. Whether military force is used, the officials added, depends on how much the Panamanian military agrees to partner with the U.S.”

