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PANAMA CITY, Panama—U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrapped up his tour of Panama on Wednesday, inking two critical Memoranda of Understanding with officials of the central American nation determined to get more support, investment, and protection from the United States in exchange for renewed Sino-skepticism.
The trip, which saw precisely 47 staffers work the 3-day itinerary, included much in the way of high-level diplomatic negotiations, with a hefty dose of troop morale boosting in the region.
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Hegseth went out of his way aboard the USS Chosin, a guided missile cruiser that arrived in the city just days ago, to honor and reward servicemen and women–a trait that has already become a hallmark of his tenure at the Pentagon.
At the CENTSEC conference Wednesday morning, Hegseth delivered the overarching message of his trip: “We do not seek war with China, and war with China is certainly not inevitable. We do not seek it in any form.