U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth To Visit U.S. Army 7th Special Forces Group Amid Growing Focus on Operations in Panama.

Announced by the U.S. Department of Defense on April 4, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is scheduled to visit the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, a move that underscores the Trump administration’s renewed strategic focus on Latin America—particularly the pivotal role of Panama. The visit highlights the operational importance of the 7th SFG(A) within the region, especially as the U.S. intensifies its engagement in hemispheric defense partnerships. It also comes just days ahead of Secretary Hegseth’s participation in the 2025 Central American Security Conference (CENTSEC) in Panama City, where senior defense and security leaders from across the region will convene to reinforce collaborative efforts and strengthen multinational security frameworks in the Western Hemisphere.
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U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers from the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) conduct joint training with Panamanian special forces, enhancing interoperability and strengthening bilateral defense cooperation in support of regional security missions. (Picture source: U.S. DoD)

The U.S. Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), or 7th SFG(A), plays a crucial role in U.S. military operations throughout Latin America, particularly in Central America and the Caribbean. With a mission that includes unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, and counter-narcotics operations, the unit is the backbone of special operations in a region marked by persistent security challenges, such as transnational organized crime, narcotrafficking, and growing external influence from global powers. Panama, in particular, is central to the group’s area of responsibility—not just due to its geography and the Panama Canal, but also because of the country’s historical and operational significance to U.S. military strategy in the region.

Secretary Hegseth’s visit underscores the Pentagon’s recognition of the 7th SFG(A)’s enduring contributions to regional security. The unit has a storied history of working closely with partner nations’ armed forces, and Panama has long stood out as a close ally. From Operation Just Cause in 1989 to modern-day training and advisory missions, the relationship between U.S. and Panamanian forces remains robust. The group’s deployments and joint missions help build partner capacity, ensure rapid crisis response, and serve as a counterweight to rising instability and foreign intervention in the hemisphere.

The visit also gains added relevance following the first official U.S.-Panama Special Operations Forces (SOF) talks held on February 18, 2025. These talks, held alongside concurrent joint combined exchange training (JCET) exercises, marked a significant milestone in U.S.-Panama defense relations. According to the U.S. Department of State, these engagements "underscore a decades-long bilateral partnership and highlight the global impact of U.S. special operations forces." The 7th SFG(A), through its leadership and operational involvement, played a key role in facilitating these discussions, which focused on interoperability, mutual threat assessments, and enhanced regional readiness.

This strategic momentum aligns with recent statements and ambitions expressed by current U.S. President Donald Trump, who has shown increasing interest in Panama and the Panama Canal as part of his broader Western Hemisphere security and economic agenda. President Trump has publicly emphasized the importance of securing American influence over key global trade arteries and countering adversarial encroachment—specifically referencing concerns about Chinese commercial and political activity near the canal zone. The recent agreement that saw a Hong Kong-based conglomerate sell its controlling stake in Panama’s ports to a U.S.-led investment group has only intensified attention on the region.

In this context, U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth’s twin engagements—first with the 7th Special Forces Group at home, and then with Panamanian and regional defense leaders abroad—send a strong signal of U.S. resolve. The trip demonstrates the operational readiness of America’s special forces and reaffirms Washington’s intent to deepen its alliances and influence across Latin America. The 7th SFG(A)’s mission readiness, cultural expertise, and long-standing regional relationships make it a cornerstone of this effort.

As great power competition resurfaces in Latin America, the U.S. Department of Defense appears committed to investing in longstanding partnerships, leveraging elite units like the U.S. Army's 7th Special Forces Group, and strengthening regional coalitions to promote security, stability, and sovereignty in the Western Hemisphere.