President Donald Trump described the relationship between the U.S. and Panama as “very strong.” He met with Panama President Juan Carlos Varela on Monday. Trump: ‘Panama Canal is doing quite well’

President Donald Trump asserted on Monday that the Panama Canal, which opened in 1914, is “doing quite well” and that the U.S. “did a good job building it.”

Trump made the comment in the Oval Office, where he was sitting for a brief media availability alongside Juan Carlos Varela, the president of Panama who is in Washington for a visit.


“It's our great honor to have President and Mrs. Varela from Panama,” Trump told reporters. “We have many things to discuss. We're going to spend quite a bit of time today. The Panama Canal is doing quite well, I think we did a good job building it.”

“Right?” Trump said, turning to Varela. “Very good job.”

The Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, was constructed by the U.S. from 1904 to 1914, after the French stopped its work on the project.

On Monday, Trump described the relationship between the U.S. and Panama as “very strong.”

“We are developing new things to do and only getting stronger,” Trump said. “And also, friendship with the president is very, very good.”