It's unclear how the issue of ownership of the Panama Canal became a talking point for President-elect Donald Trump this week, but the question has a long political history.

As Trump targets Panama with needlessly caustic bombast, he's chosen a would-be ambassador who might not be especially well suited for a job in diplomacy.

Kevin Cabrera has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as the next ambassador to Panama. The U.S. Senate needs to confirm the pick, which comes at a time that Trump has targeted fees on U.S. ships traversing the Panama Canal.