Egyptians react to Trump’s remarks on Suez Canal
US President Donald Trump’s controversial call for free passage through the Suez Canal has triggered strong reactions from various public figures, particularly in Egypt, where the canal holds immense national and historical significance.
In a recent post on his Truth social platform, US President Donald Trump sparked an outcry after suggesting that military and commercial American ships should be allowed to pass through the Suez Canal and Panama Canal free of charge.
Trump claimed that these waterways would not have existed without American involvement, calling for the US to be exempt from paying transit fees.
Political reactions
According to the renowned professor of politics at Cairo University, Ali El Din Hilal, the 1888 Constantinople Convention regulates free navigation through the Suez Canal, ensuring passage for commercial and military ships, except for those belonging to states at war with Egypt.
In a social media post, he noted that the canal is an international waterway but lies within Egyptian territory, under its sovereignty and national laws, with full international consensus.
Therefore, Hilal added that President Trump’s demand contradicts international law and the Constantinople Convention.
“The matter is clear and leaves no room for misunderstanding, making his tweet puzzling.”
Meanwhile, Khaled El-Balshy, the head of the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate, condemned Trump’s comments as “dangerous” and “insane,” comparing them to a colonial mindset.
He emphasised that the Egyptian people have paid a heavy price, both in lives and resources, for the construction and operation of the canal.
He referenced the significant sacrifices made during the canal’s nationalisation under late President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1956, a pivotal moment in Egypt’s modern history.
Legal and historical considerations
The legal implications of Trump’s request were also central to the criticism. Egyptian legal scholars and political analysts pointed to President Anwar El-Sadat’s 1975 decision regulating the functioning of the Suez Canal.
According to this law, the Suez Canal Authority has the exclusive right to issue regulations concerning navigation and impose fees on passing vessels.
This includes implementing the international rules and agreements governing ships’ passage through the canal.
However, Trump’s suggestion that the US should be exempt from these fees contradicts these longstanding international agreements and challenges Egypt’s sovereignty over one of its most important national assets.
Trump’s historical misunderstanding
Trump’s comments also reflect a significant misunderstanding of the canal’s historical context.
The Suez Canal was officially opened in 1869, long before the US became a leading global power.
While US ships have historically benefited from the canal’s strategic location, French engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps drove the initial vision and labour to dig the canal. Egyptian labourers largely carried out the construction.
The British Empire later took control of the canal’s operations, with Egypt gaining complete control only after nationalisation in 1956.
Lamis El-Hadidy, a well-known Egyptian television presenter, sharply criticised Trump for his ignorance of history. In a post on social media, Al Hadidy reminded Trump that the US had no role in creating or operating the Suez Canal.
She stated that the canal’s opening in 1869 occurred when the US was still recovering from the Civil War and dealing with its internal challenges.
El-Hadidy further emphasised that international agreements govern ship passage and that Trump’s claim was historically incorrect and legally unfounded.
Similarly, Mostafa Bakry, a prominent Egyptian journalist and member of the House of Representatives, expressed his frustration with Trump’s comments.
In a statement on social media, Bakry pointed out that Trump’s historical knowledge was lacking and called his comments “nonsense.”
He emphasised that the Suez Canal had been a crucial asset for Egypt long before the US became a global power and that Egypt’s sovereignty over the canal, protected by international law, could not be challenged by any nation.
Trump’s call for free passage through the canal failed to consider critical legal agreements, overlooked Egypt’s sacrifices, and misrepresented historical facts.