Given his experience and mindset, it was inevitable that Trump would view the Panama Canal treaty as the worst real estate deal in American history–think the Louisiana Purchase or Alaska in reverse. Is he right?
No, because the treaty was not a real estate deal. It was an effort to prove to the people and leaders of Central and South America that the bad old days of Yankee imperialism were over. It was also an attempt to forestall future efforts by indigenous left-wing militants to sabotage the operation of the canal. In those terms, the agreement succeeded admirably.
Trump doesn’t understand these ideas; he only believes in dollars and military force. But then, he wants to bring back Yankee imperialism, so what did you expect?