Secretary Hegseth is the first U.S. defense secretary to visit Panama in decades.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Panama this week, becoming the most recent U.S. defense secretary to visit the country in decades. Secretary Hegseth attended the 2025 Central American Security Conference taking place in Panama City. He also met with officials and gave a speech from a U.S.-financed pier on the Panama Canal, warning against Chinese influences on the canal’s operations.
“The United States of America will not allow communist China or any other country to threaten the canal’s operation or integrity,” the defense secretary said.
Secretary Hegseth stated at the conference, “The security of the hemisphere that we share is a top priority for President Trump and for the United States Department of Defense. The security threats that we face right now are real and they are present. But together, we are making progress to stop mass illegal migration from around the world. We’re making progress to stop violent cartels and criminal enterprises that are threatening our people and brutalizing our communities. And the era of capitulating to coercion by the Communist Chinese is over.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For discernment for Secretary Hegseth as he meets with Central American leaders and officials.
- For President Trump and members of his administration as they pursue national security priorities.
Sources: Reuters, The Hill, Department of Defense
