Trump Warns ‘We’re Gonna Take’ Panama Canal Back Or ‘Something Very Powerful is Going to Happen’

President Donald Trump said to reporters on the tarmac Sunday that the United States will take back the Panama Canal or “something very powerful is going to happen.”

After departing Airforce One at Joint Andrews Airbase on Sunday, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to take the canal from Panama after claiming the waterway is being run by China and used against the United States.

Over the weekend, Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Panama, where he told the country’s leaders that they must take immediate action on curbing China’s influence over the canal or face backlash from the U.S. Trump then claimed to reporters that “something very powerful is going to happen” if the U.S. is not given control over the canal.

In the past, the president has not ruled out using economic and military force to pressure Panama to hand over the canal.

Secretary of State Rubio is in Panama — Panama right now. And we’re talking about the Panama Canal. What they’ve done is terrible. They violated the agreement. They are not allowed to violate the agreement. China is running the Panama Canal. That was not given to China. That was given to Panama, foolishly. But they violated the agreement. And we’re going to take it back or something very powerful is going to happen.

Watch the clip above via Fox News.