AsianFin -- U.S. President Donald Trump has broadened his demands over global shipping routes, calling for American commercial and naval vessels to be granted free passage through both the Panama and Suez Canals.

“These two canals would not exist without the United States of America,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, asserting Washington’s historical role in the construction and security of the critical trade arteries.

The remarks mark an expansion of Trump's focus on international trade and infrastructure amid his ongoing efforts to renegotiate global economic terms in favor of U.S. interests.