'Gonna take it back': Pete Hegseth could 'feel' the communism at the Panama Canal

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed to take back the Panama Canal because he said that he could "feel" communism there when he visited.

While speaking to Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday, Hegseth reflected on his recent trip to Panama.

"Well, President Trump said at a State of the Union address, China has too much influence over the Panama Canal and America is gonna take it back and that's exactly what I was charged to do what we're continuing to do," the defense secretary insisted. "Chinese influence cannot control our own backyard, especially a critical waterway key terrain like the Panama Canal."

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"I want to thank President Molina, a pro-Trump, pro-America president of Panama who's sticking his neck out against communists, whose influence was real there, he continued. "Maria, we could see it; you could feel it."

"The communist Chinese want to control politicians. They're building infrastructure projects. They want to surveil, they want to take that canal. President Trump says not on our watch."

Watch the video below from Fox News.