United States Envoy Kristi Noem Asks For Cooperation with Panama for the Shield of the Americas.
Kristi Noem, U.S. envoy for the Shield of the Americas, pictured below, talks about sovereignty and cooperation with Panama, and the fight against cartels in the region.
The United States expects Panama—along with other regional partners in the Shield of the Americas initiative—to actively cooperate on intelligence-sharing, tighten border security, and deploy military and law enforcement capabilities to jointly locate, disrupt, and dismantle drug cartels and transnational criminal networks.
Key Expectations for Panama.
- Target Cartels: Help destroy drug trafficking organizations and narco-terrorist groups designated as foreign terrorist threats.
- Coordinate Operations: Participate in the operational arm (the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition) by sharing intelligence and synchronizing regional security efforts.
- Manage Borders: Assist in curbing mass illegal migration and human smuggling networks across the hemisphere.
- Block Adversaries: Maintain aligned regional stability to keep external adversarial influence out of the Western Hemisphere
Kristi Noem, U.S. Special Envoy for Shield of the Americas, interviewed by Panama news media in which she addressed the scope of this new regional security cooperation initiative. What does the United States expect Panama to do within the Shield of the Americas?
U.S. Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas Kristi Noem emphasized sovereignty as a core pillar during the initiative’s launch. The Shield of the Americas is a regional security and counter-cartel coalition launched by President Donald Trump in March 2026.
Overview of the Initiative
- Core Purpose: Coordinate military and law enforcement actions across the Western Hemisphere to dismantle transnational drug cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations.
- Key Objectives: Control illegal migration, block harmful foreign economic and technological influences, and keep external adversaries out of the hemisphere.
- Leadership Role: Kristi Noem transitioned to this special envoy position following her tenure leading the Department of Homeland Security, working alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio to build regional partnerships.
