Secretary of War Addresses Anti-Cartel Coalition in Panama
During the Inter-American Coalition Against Cartels (A3C) conference in Panama, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivered a lecture on August 12, 2026, emphasizing the significant successes the U.S. has achieved in combating narco-terrorism and trafficking.
In his address, Hegseth reaffirmed the Trump administration’s ongoing commitment to countering these criminal networks in the Western Hemisphere.
“And yesterday, today, and for years to come, we come together to take the next step in our common fight against narco-terrorists, gang members, drug traffickers, designated terrorist organizations, ISIS and al-Qaeda in the Western Hemisphere. They deserve to be treated the same,” he stated.
The coalition, established earlier this year, includes various countries from the region aimed at enhancing security and addressing challenges like narco-terrorism and human trafficking.
“Under decades of globalist neglect, more than 1 million Americans have died from fentanyl, cocaine, and other drugs—more than America has suffered in any war in its 250-year history,” Hegseth mentioned.
He pointed out the critical importance of security for member nations.
“This blatant disregard for our national security also destroyed our borders, our sovereignty, and our immigration system. That’s why we’re here together today,” he elaborated.
Hegseth announced that Colombia, which recently elected Trump ally Abelardo de la Espriela as president, will be the 19th country to join the coalition. He referred back to the Monroe Doctrine, noting its relevance over two centuries later for operations in the hemisphere.
“The United States has declared to the European colonial powers that any threat to the free nations of this hemisphere will be viewed as a threat to the United States itself,” he said, relating “Trump’s consequences” to this guiding principle.
“We will protect our hemisphere from external threats to our national sovereignty, whether narco-terrorism or foreign malign actors, and we will deny our adversaries the ability to station forces in our hemisphere or threaten our capabilities,” Hegseth added.
