Who needs soft power? Trump threatens neighbours with tariffs

François PICARD | Théophile Vareille | Rebecca GNIGNATI | Ilayda HABIP | Philip GOLUB | Emily Ragobeer | Pedro da Costa | Pascal Drouhaud

Edité par France 24 - 2025

Trump turned heads at his inauguration when he referenced William McKinley, the tariff-loving turn-of-the-20th century predecessor to Theodore Roosevelt, who tested the powers of the presidency and went to war with Spain to assert dominance over the Americas and the South Pacific.

On that score, Trump's threats to annex Panama seem to be yielding results, with the Central American nation telling his secretary of state that it's ready to allow Panama's participation in China's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative to expire. Will it be enough to quell talk of land grabs?

Editor's note: Since this programme aired, the US has also agreed to pause tariffs on Canadian imports. 

Produced by Théophile Vareille, Rebecca Gnignati and Ilayda Habip. 

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