Speaking in Washington, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, the Republican chairman of the Commerce Committee that has been looking into Chinese connections to the Panama Canal, said in a hallway interview with Reuters that he wanted to review the details of the deal but was glad to have an American company controlling the port facilities.

U.S. President Donald Trump has hailed a deal led by U.S. firm BlackRock to buy most of the $22.8 billion ports business of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison, including assets it holds along the Panama Canal.

President Donald Trump cited BlackRock's Tuesday deal to acquire Panama Canal ports as part of his administration's broader effort to "reclaim" the crucial waterway.