Health Ranger Report: Michael Yon on Trump’s global trade strategy and China’s tactics

07/17/2025 / By Kevin Hughes

President Donald Trump’s interest in Panama is part of a broader U.S. strategy to secure dominance over critical global trade routes (e.g., Panama Canal, Suez Canal, Arctic) and counter China’s infrastructure expansion.
While China invests heavily in global ports and trade corridors, often funded by Japanese capital, the U.S. has retreated – allowing Beijing to expand its geopolitical and economic foothold.
The U.S. faces criticism for policies keeping the migrant trafficking route through the Darien Gap open, despite Panama’s desire to shut it down.
Control of trade chokepoints (e.g., Panama Canal, Thailand’s Kra Isthmus railway) will determine future power dynamics. China’s infrastructure projects threaten to bypass U.S.-controlled routes.
Yon and Adams ultimately warn that America must shift from coercion to competitive infrastructure investment or risk irrelevance against rising BRICS influence, particularly China.

Geopolitical analyst Michael Yon joined the Health Ranger Adams on the “Health Ranger Report” to discuss the strategic maneuvering behind President Donald Trump’s recent focus on Panama – and how it fits into a broader competition with China over global trade routes.

Trump’s renewed interest in Panama isn’t arbitrary. It’s part of a larger design to secure United States dominance over critical sea lanes, including the Suez Canal and emerging Arctic trade routes. As Adams noted, this push is aimed at countering China’s aggressive infrastructure investments worldwide.

Yon, reporting from Panama City, emphasized Panama’s pro-American sentiment, contrary to popular narratives. “Panamanians constantly ask, ‘Where is America? We want America to help us get rid of China,'” the veteran combat correspondent and author said. Yet, while China builds ports worldwide – often financed with Japanese capital – the U.S. has retreated, allowing Beijing to expand its influence.

One key flashpoint is the Darien Gap, the perilous jungle corridor between Panama and Colombia, infamous for its migrant trafficking. While many Americans blame Panama for the crisis, Yon clarified that Panama wants to shut the route down but U.S. policies under Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas kept it open.

Beyond the canal: China’s plan to bypass U.S. dominance

Yon dismissed hysteria over Chinese control of the Panama Canal itself. Despite Beijing owning ports on both ends, canal operations remain firmly in Panamanian hands with many veteran U.S.-trained pilots still guiding ships through. However, China could disrupt shipping if it chose, highlighting the need for Washington’s engagement. (Related: US GAINS GROUND in battle with China in Panama Canal dispute.)

Adams pointed out the irony. The U.S. helped industrialize China, transferring manufacturing and technology for corporate profit. Now, America faces a resurgent China excelling in trade and infrastructure while struggling to compete.

Trump’s goal, both suggested, isn’t mere bluster – it’s reclaiming U.S. economic leverage. With ports, canals and trade lanes as geopolitical chess pieces, America must shift from coercion to competition or risk irrelevance in a world dominated by the BRICS bloc – which China is a founding member of.

Meanwhile, Beijing is already bypassing U.S.-controlled chokepoints such as Thailand’s Kra Isthmus railway. According to Yon, who has tracked since 2014, the railway could render the Malacca Strait obsolete.

Adams encapsulated the stakes with a phrase borrowed from AI strategists: “Infrastructure is destiny.” If America fails to rebuild its industrial capacity – while Russia and China surge ahead – its military and economic decline may prove irreversible.

For now, Panama remains a litmus test. Will Trump’s administration engage proactively, or will China seize the initiative? The answer could shape the next century of global power dynamics.

Follow Trump.news for more news about the Trump administration.

Watch the full interview between Michael Yon and the Health Ranger Mike Adams below.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.