In a powerful assertion of American strength and strategic focus, the Trump administration is once again reminding the world that the era of quiet concessions and polite decline is over.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is headed to Panama, not for ceremony, but for signal—clear, unmistakable signal. The United States is back, and it’s reclaiming what matters.
The trip, anchored around the 2025 Central American Security Conference, is more than a diplomatic gesture. It’s a pivot toward geopolitical clarity.
As Hegseth meets with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino and regional military leaders, the backdrop is unmistakable: the Panama Canal—once a symbol of American engineering and dominance—has reemerged as a critical piece in the chessboard of global influence. And President Donald Trump has made it abundantly clear—he intends to bring it back under American control.
In March, from the halls of Congress, Trump told the nation and the world: “We didn’t give it to China; we gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.” No hedging, no bureaucratic padding—just the kind of unapologetic clarity that has defined this administration’s foreign policy. And according to Trump, the work has already begun.
This comes after growing frustration over what Trump described as extortionate fees imposed by Panama for U.S. use of the canal. “The fees Panama charges are outrageous,” he wrote in December, adding, “This blatant ‘rip-off’ of our country will come to an end immediately.”
Panama’s response? Outrage and denial. President Mulino accused Trump of lying, claiming the canal “is and will continue to be Panamanian,” and framing America’s renewed interest as an insult to national dignity. But Mulino’s words betray a deeper insecurity.
Because what’s really at stake here isn’t just a canal—it’s influence, security, and control over one of the world’s most vital trade arteries. And the United States isn’t going to keep playing second fiddle to global competitors, or ceding ground in its own hemisphere.
Hegseth’s visit, including a stop at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida to review Special Forces readiness, ties directly into the broader doctrine Trump is advancing: restore American sovereignty, assert American strength, and secure the resources—strategic, economic, and military—that once defined U.S. global leadership.
