Welcome, it is verdict with Senator Ted Cruz. Ben Ferguson with you. And Senator, I never thought

I'd say there was a whole lot of action today in the Senate when it comes to the Panama Canal,

but that is exactly what happened is we're learning a lot more about the corruption there that should

shock a lot of Americans. Well, today I chaired a hearing in the Senate

Commerce Committee on the Panama Canal. And listen, Donald Trump has raised this issue. It is a

very significant issue. I got to say when he raised it, a lot of people in the media, a lot of

Democrats dismissed it, thought it was crazy talk. But I actually think it is a very serious point.

We've talked about this before on the podcast.

But today I chaired a hearing on the Panama Canal and in particular on the conduct that Panama

has committed potentially in violation of the treaty.

So the United States built that canal. Over 30,000 lives

were lost in the construction of that canal. Over $15 billion in today's dollars were spent by

America, by American taxpayers in building that canal.

And Jimmy Carter, sadly, gave it away, gave it to Panama. It was indefensible. I remember

I was a little kid. You were not even been a sparkle in your daddy's eyeball when this happened.

But I remember it well, and I remember being pissed. And by the way,

this was one of the major issues that got Ronald Reagan elected in 1980 because Jimmy Carter

gave this away. Well, Donald Trump has rightly raised this. And in particular, when Jimmy Carter

gave it away, Panama agreed to a very specific treaty, a treaty to keep the Panama Canal neutral, and to charge America fair and equitable rates.

And the hearing we had today was testimony from numerous experts that Panama is in violation of that treaty, that number one, that they

have seated enormous control to China over the canal, and this is the point President Trump has made

that is really quite powerful, and number two, that they are charging exorbitant rates to American

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