Chief Pentagon Spokesman Mr. Sean Parnell provided the following statement:

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will depart early next week for a trip to Panama City, Panama, to participate in the 2025 Central American Security Conference (CENTSEC). 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. Secretary Hegseth will also travel to Eglin AFB to visit service members and command leadership at 7th Special Forces Group.