Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino responded "be serious, be serious" on Wednesday when asked in Davos whether he was concerned the U.S. would invade after President Donald Trump said he would take back the Panama Canal.

President Donald Trump has called for the US to retake control of the Panama Canal unless the cost of passage for naval and merchant ships is slashed. Trump’s refusal to rule out the use of force is a throwback to the 19th century era of gunboat diplomacy.

Panama has alerted the United Nations - in a letter seen by Reuters on Tuesday - to U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks during his inauguration speech, when he vowed that the United States would take back the Panama Canal.

With Trump sworn in as the 47th president on Monday, he returned to power with a pledge to end what he sees as America's decline and "completely and totally reverse"

Some Panamanians saw Trump's remarks as a way of applying pressure on Panama for something else he wants: better control of migration through the Darien Gap.

In a statement, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino rejected the comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who during his inaugural address again criticized the performance of the Panama Canal and assured that his country will recover the infrastructure.

Panamas President Jose Raul Mulino dismissed concerns over potential U.S. intervention after former President Donald Trump expressed interest in reclaiming the Panama Canal. Responding to questions at the World