Pete Hegseth on US Security Interests in Panama and Confronting China

Hemispheric Security Priorities

• 🎯 The security of the hemisphere is a top priority for President Trump and the US Department of Defense.
• ⚡ Progress is being made to stop mass illegal migration, violent cartels, and criminal enterprises threatening communities.
• ⚠️ The era of capitulating to coercion by communist China is over, and their growing control of strategic infrastructure will not stand.

Confronting Shared Threats Together

• 🤝 Countries cannot face shared threats alone; they must be confronted together, with America deterring and defeating threats alongside partners.
• 🇺🇸 An America First approach involves restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding the military, and reestablishing deterrence.
• 🌍 America First means making alliances and partnerships sensible for the American people and their friends, putting the Americas first.

Border Security and Cartel Operations

• 🛂 The US will do whatever is necessary to achieve 100% operational control of borders, as border security is national security.
• ⛓️ Transnational cartels and gangs, designated as terrorist organizations, profit from chaos and threaten sovereignty.
• 🤝 Cooperation with regional leaders is crucial to stop mass illegal migration and accept returning migrants.

China's Threat in the Hemisphere

• 🇨🇳 China is capturing land, critical infrastructure, and strategic sectors like energy and telecommunications for military advantage and economic gain.
• 🛰️ China's military has a growing presence, operating facilities that extend their reach into space and exploiting natural resources.
• 🎣 China's factory fishing fleets are stealing food from nations in the region.
• 🚫 Beijing's investments are for military advantage and unfair economic gain, but war with China is not inevitable.

Securing the Panama Canal and Future Cooperation

• 🚢 President Trump has made it clear that the Panama Canal cannot and will not be controlled by China.
• 🤝 The US is working with Panama to secure the canal and advance mutual interests, including deploying the US Naval Ship Comfort.
• 📈 Cooperation will increase to deter threats, seize opportunities, and bolster shared defense through expanded training and joint exercises.
• ✨ The goal is a hemisphere of secure, prosperous, and sovereign nations, a golden age for the Americas.