(Ken Silva, Headline USA) A consortium of investors led by the controversial firm BlackRock has reportedly agreed to buy a majority stake in the Panama Canal for $23 billion.
“The deal would bring the key ports under American corporate ownership, from Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison … BlackRock has briefed the Trump administration and Congress on the deal,” the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing a person familiar with the matter. “If completed, the BlackRock deal could go a long way toward easing concerns about China’s influence over the canal.”
The move comes after President Donald Trump alleged Chinese interference with the operations of the critical shipping lane.
“China is operating the Panama Canal, and we didn’t give it to China,” Trump said on Inauguration Day.
In a filing, CK Hutchison Holding said it would sell all shares in Hutchison Port Holdings and all shares in Hutchison Port Group Holdings. The two units hold 80% in the Hutchison Ports group that operates 43 ports in 23 countries.
The consortium, comprised of BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners and Terminal Investment Limited, will acquire 90% interests in Panama Ports Company, which owns and operates the ports of Balboa and Cristobal in Panama, according to the filing.
Trump supporters met the news with mixed reactions. Conservatives have long criticized BlackRock for, among other things, abusing its market power to push leftist policies. BlackRock was also part of the Democrats’ scheme to rebuild Ukraine after its war with Russia.
“Oh yeah, that’s much better. Americans are whipped into a jingoistic fervor. ‘We’re gonna take …. blah … blah … blah.’ You’re not taking anything. BlackRock is going to take it,” remarked Chris Rossini, a senior fellow at the Ron Paul Institute.
Oh yeah, that's much better.
Americans are whipped into a jingoistic fervor.
"We're gonna take …. blah … blah … blah."
You're not taking anything.
BlackRock is going to take it. https://t.co/As80FMmp03
— Chris Rossini (@ChrisRossini) March 4, 2025
BlackRock has recently backed away from its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies—perhaps a gesture towards the new Trump administration.
According to the Journal, BlackRock has removed references to its “three pillar DEI strategy.”
“Gone also was a statement that “BlackRock views transparency and measurement as critical to its strategy,” and a breakdown of its U.S. employees by gender and self-disclosed ethnicity,” the Journal reported last week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
