During his second term, President Donald Trump is focused on American security and countering China’s global influence. At the center of this agenda is the Panama Canal, which the U.S. president has vowed to “take back” from Panama, citing Chinese ownership of some of the port operations as a sign that China is now running the canal.

In an important step, American asset management giant BlackRock has agreed to buy two ports at either end of the Panama Canal from a Hong Kong-based firm, CK Hutchison Holdings.

Yet the problem of port management, marked by Chinese interference and smuggling by Latin American interests, extends further than Panama and affects Europe. To take control of its own security, and align with President Trump, Europe urgently needs to take control of its ports.

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