Egyptians reject Trump's demand for free Suez Canal passage

Many Egyptians have rejected a demand by US President Donald Trump that American ships should sail the Suez Canal free of charge.

Mr Trump's comments on Saturday are the latest in a series of proposals for the Middle East that have raised concerns over his policy towards the region. Although there was no official response from the Egyptian government, his remarks have been condemned by members of the country's elite.

Alaa Mubarak, the son of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, asked Mr Trump to “wise up” and told him “enough with this nonsense”. Senior Egyptian media figures known for presenting pro-government talk shows were among those to offer heated responses.

The US leader said in a Truth Social post that American ships "should be allowed to travel free of charge through the Panama and Suez canals". His comments that “those canals would not exist without the United States of America” were met with particular disdain.

Lamees El Hadidi, one of Egypt's most recognisable pro-government journalists, suggested on Sunday someone should remind Mr Trump that “the Suez Canal was officially inaugurated in 1869 when you had just ended your civil war, you still owned slaves and you barely had an operational railway”.

Another pro-state media personality, Ahmed Moussa, said that Mr Trump’s comments amount to a “dangerous transgression”. He said US-Egyptian relations were mutually beneficial and “no US president can sacrifice" them.

The Suez Canal is a national symbol in Egypt, representing its success in supplanting the British colonial rulers who once controlled the waterway and its revenue. The digging of the canal by forced labour, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of peasants, has become a deeply personal part of how many Egyptians conceive of their nation.

Widespread anger

The US President’s comments have also drawn the ire of regular Egyptians, many of whom have observed Mr Trump’s attitude towards the Middle East with increasing concern.

“Trump has proven himself to be another American tyrant who has no regard for Arab lives or sovereignty," said Saeed Abdelhay, 57, the manager of an organic vegetable farm in Cairo. "It is more important than ever that we as a nation stand up to his madness and prove that we will not be ordered around or give up our wealth and dignity so easily,”

Mahmoud ِAmer, who owns a plumbing business, expressed concerns that Mr Trump's tariffs would drive up already high costs of living in Egypt.

“You have no idea how many Egyptians, particularly in construction and various kinds of factories, have their lives upturned by fluctuations in import costs and tariffs," he said. "Factories will lay off dozens of workers until expensive parts arrive. Trump needs to understand that his decisions don’t just affect Americans, they affect everyone in the world.”

Egypt’s import-heavy economy is susceptible to shifts in global markets, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a speech this month.

Trump worries

Meanwhile, other Egyptians have been angered by Mr Trump’s clearly pro-Israel stance on the war in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of more than 52,200 Palestinian civilians since the war started on October 7, 2023.

Mr Trump’s repeated proposals to displace Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan also drew concern from many Egyptians.

In a speech on Friday marking Sinai Liberation Day, when Israel ended its occupation of the peninsula in 1982, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi called on Mr Trump to play his “expected role” in ensuring Palestinians remain in their homeland. Egypt has maintained that position since the October 7 attacks renewed calls from Israel for neighbouring Arab countries to take in the Palestinian people.

However, Mr Trump’s rhetoric has only raised tension with Egypt, whose armed forces are currently conducting a joint military exercise with China, expected to last until early May.

The start of the exercises on April 19 showed off several items of Chinese military equipment, including J-10C fighters and Y-20 transporters touted as strong competitors to the mostly western-made models Egypt has in its fleet.

The launch of the exercise, particularly against a backdrop of what Mr Madbouly called an “all-out trade war” between China and the US, has drawn widespread concern in Washington and Tel Aviv that Cairo is looking to other global powers to pursue its interests.

Mr Madbouly also warned a drop in Suez Canal revenue was one of Egypt’s main concerns, especially with its economy suffering from record levels of debt, as outlined by the country’s latest budget.

The canal is one of Egypt’s main sources of foreign currency but its traffic has fallen by almost half and revenue cut by 61 per cent since 2023, the canal chief said on Saturday. The severe drop in revenue was a result of tension in the Red Sea where Houthi rebels, acting in solidarity with Gaza’s Palestinians, have launched attacks on ships crossing the waters.

Since the early stages of Israel’s war on Gaza, international shipping companies have been forced to reroute vessels round Africa, a much longer and more expensive journey.