President Donald Trump's White House has reportedly asked the United States military to draw up plans to a military operation to retake the Panama Canal.
According to NBC News' sources, "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."
According to NBC News, force would be used to retake the Panama Canal if the Panamanian military does not cooperate with the United States to a satisfactory extent.
"The Trump administration’s goal is to increase the U.S. military presence in Panama to diminish China’s influence there, particularly access to the canal," NBC News' sources contend.
ALSO READ: ‘Unsatisfactory’: Bannon lashes out at Trump for pulling vaccine critic as CDC nominee
The sources also emphasized that "a U.S. invasion of Panama is unlikely and would only come under serious consideration if a larger American military presence in Panama does not achieve President Donald Trump’s goal of reclaiming the waterway."
Trump has for months been pushing to expand the territory of the United States by measures that include retaking the Panama Canal, annexing the Danish territory of Greenland, and even making Canada America's "51st state."
All of these proposals have generated furious pushback from citizens of the nations being targeted by the president, especially in Canada where local sports fans have taken to booing the Star-Spangled Banner during hockey and basketball games.