Defense officials from 34 countries met for a historic first meeting in February 2026 to discuss security issues in the Western Hemisphere. The Conference of Western Hemisphere Chiefs of Defense supported efforts of the United States and its partners and allies to bolster Arctic security and tackle drug smuggling and other potentially destabilizing issues in the region. Hosted by Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the gathering brought together key leaders to foster dialogue and set common goals for a region designated as the U.S.’s top defense priority in its latest national defense strategy.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth urged unity on regional challenges. “We, like you, want — and will — achieve permanent peace in this hemisphere. So, let’s work together [with] our militaries: exercising, training, operations, [intelligence], access, basing, overflight, you name it — let’s work together,” Hegseth said, according to a Pentagon news release. “To achieve these goals, we have to stand together; there’s no other way to do it,” he added.
Defense leaders discussed transnational criminal organizations and drug trafficking, as well as broader issues affecting stability across the hemisphere. Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of the United States Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, urged the gathering to focus on border security, emphasizing the importance of advanced sensors to achieve domain awareness in the region’s vast seas and Arctic tundra, reported The New York Times newspaper. Caine stressed the importance of deepening military-to-military engagement to build trust and deepen relationships to advance collective security, according to the Joint Chiefs news release.
Mexican Secretary of National Defense (DEFENSA) Gen. Ricardo Trevilla Trejo and Secretary of the Navy Adm. Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles, the top Mexican military officials, attended the conference. “During this event, it was reaffirmed that the implementation of Mexico’s National Public Security Strategy 2024-2030 and the operational coordination with the U.S. Northern Command on the shared border have proven effective and have reduced the flow of drugs into the United States, as well as high-impact crimes in Mexico’s border states,” a DEFENSA news release stated. “The Ministries of National Defense and the Navy reaffirm their commitment to international cooperation to contribute to regional security, under the principles of reciprocity, shared and differentiated responsibility, mutual trust, as well as respect for sovereign decisions and territories.”
The conference gave attendees the chance to better understand each nation’s priorities and challenges, according to the Joint Chiefs release. “The conference provided an opportunity for Chiefs of Defense to exchange perspectives, foster alignment, and reinforce relationships in support of shared security and a stable, secure, and prosperous Western Hemisphere,” the Joint Chiefs news release stated.