Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Heads to Panama to Meet with Regional Leaders, U.S. Troops

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is heading to Panama City, Panama, on Monday, for a two-day visit to attend the 2025 Central American Security Conference and meet with American troops stationed there.

“The Secretary will meet with partner-nation senior civilian, military, and security leadership in a series of bilateral meetings that will drive ongoing efforts to strengthen our partnerships with Panama and other Central American nations toward our shared vision for a peaceful and secure Western Hemisphere,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.

Hegseth’s visit to Panama takes place as President Donald Trump has called on Panama to give the U.S. better terms on access to the Panama Canal, which the U.S. built in 1914 but agreed to hand over to Panama under President Jimmy Carter. The canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and is vital for American military and commercial shipping. Trump has raised concerns about the canal being controlled by China, which Panama has denied.