Trump's Suez Canal Demands Provoke Egyptian Backlash

(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump has drawn sharp backlash in Egypt following his recent demand that American vessels be granted free access through the Suez Canal, a statement many in the country view as unfounded and threatening to international norms.

On Saturday, Trump took to Truth Social—a platform he predominantly owns—to assert that both U.S. military and commercial ships should be permitted to use the Suez and Panama Canals without incurring fees.

He wrote that the canals would "not exist" without U.S. involvement and said he had directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “take care of, and memorialize, this situation.”

Ayman Salama, a professor of international law at Cairo University, criticized Trump's comments in an interview aired on Monday, stating, "Trump's proposals about international waterways constitute a serious threat to international peace, security, and public order."

Salama pointed to the 1888 Constantinople Convention, which outlines the guiding principles for international access to the Suez Canal and affirms all nations’ rights to use the waterway.

He emphasized that Trump's assertions, which disregard the rights of coastal nations over their territorial waters and strategic straits, lack legal foundation and could violate the modern legal standard prohibiting foreign interference in domestic affairs.

Salama also cautioned that any attempt by the U.S. to assert control could disrupt global commerce and damage the world economy. He called on the international community to uphold existing maritime laws and take decisive action to protect the legal structures governing global navigation.

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