US President Donald Trump baffled many around the world when he made known his intentions to retake the Panama Canal on his very first day in office. Why does Washington DC want a canal in another sovereign country? Today we explore the historical significance of the canal and the origins of the present political dynamics with Julie Greene, Professor of History at the University of Maryland and author of the book “The Canal Builders: Making America's Empire at the Panama Canal,” published in 2009.

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