2025 Western Hemisphere Security Forum

WASHINGTON D.C.- January 18, 2025 | On the eve of the presidential inauguration of Donald J. Trump, a select group of one-hundred policymakers, presidents, ministers, government officials, academics, and leading thinkers from no fewer than 15 nations across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe, met at The University Club in Washington D.C. to attend the Western Hemisphere Security Forum in what some have called “the best pre-inaugural event” in the nation’s capital.

The gathering included senior Trump administration officials, such as the now Senate-confirmed Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and his wife and Fox & Friends co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. The Deputy Assistant to President Trump and Senior Director for Counterterrorism, Dr. Sebastian Gorka, and the former National Security Advisor to President Trump, Lt. General Michael Flynn. The keynote speech was given by the Honorable Santiago Peña, President of the Republic of Paraguay.

The private luncheon began with introductory remarks by the award-winning investigative journalist, Sara Carter, who discussed why the Western Hemisphere is important. Sara Carter would serve as the Master of Ceremonies animating the event with several anecdotes of her travels to Latin America and making a call for U.S. officials to pay closer attention to the region.

The founder of SFS and president of the International Freedom Educational Foundation, Dr. Alejandro Chafuen, then took the stage to introduce the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS) and described why the mission of advancing freedom and security in the Western Hemisphere is more important than ever. A point emphasized by Pastor Mario Bramnick, who led us in prayer to bless the United States, Latin America, and President Donald Trump and his new administration.

Following the introductory remarks, the lunch program proceeded with a special presentation by Dr. Kiron Skinner, who previously served as the Director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. State Department during the first Trump administration and is currently the Taube Family Chair of International Relations at Pepperdine University. Dr. Skinner explained the America First doctrine developed in the first Trump administration (2017-2021) and emphasized that today it is time to advance this doctrine into real U.S. foreign policy for the Western Hemisphere and the world.

Dr. Skinner led the room in the pledge of allegiance to the United States.

The luncheon host, SFS Executive Director Joseph Humire, thanked the audience for coming to the forum and expressed how everyone in the room was hand-picked because of their commitment to freedom and America First principles. Mr. Humire went on to describe what he calls the Western Hemisphere’s moment in how President Trump is drawing a new strategic map that establishes a security perimeter from Greenland in the Arctic to the Panama Canal to the now renamed Gulf of America. He made a call to renew the Monroe Doctrine and described the landmark historical document as a defense posture that prompted the U.S. to become a superpower that sowed a seed of sovereignty throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. A renewed Monroe Doctrine could become the basis for a new Trump Doctrine that introduces the concept of a Greater North America, Mr. Humire explained.

Unfortunately, President Javier Milei of the Republic of Argentina was not able to participate in the forum due to last-minute scheduling conflicts, however, his Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein relayed an important message from Argentina about President Milei’s success. Minister Werthein provided details about the economic rebound Argentina is undergoing and described the change in foreign policy priorities by President Milei, to aim for stronger U.S.-Argentine relations than ever before.

The lunch program continued with remarks from the 48th Attorney General of Virginia, Jason Miyares, who emphasized the role that states play in U.S. foreign policy. The Commonwealth of Virginia is a primary jurisdiction for counterterrorism and counter-transnational organized crime and has historically been at the forefront of U.S. national security. Being of Cuban descent, AG Miyares also expressed his optimism and expectation that the Trump administration will finally put and end to the longest running dictatorship in the Western Hemisphere, the Cuban regime.

One of the most motivational speeches of the forum was delivered by Dr. Sebastian Gorka, the U.S. Deputy Assistant to President Trump and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council. As a longtime advisor to President Trump, Dr. Gorka emphasized the president’s “Peace through Strength” foreign policy posture and described Trump’s style by using a refrain from the U.S. Marines: “No better friend, No worse enemy.” He then went on to understate the importance of the Western Hemisphere as part of the history of Western Civilization.

This was followed by a superb presentation by Lieutenant General (retired) Michael Flynn, who previously served as the National Security Advisor to President Trump in his first administration and is one of the most decorated military intelligence officers in a generation. Gen. Flynn pointed to the growing influence of China in Latin America as a top national security concern and described how today’s policy battles will define the next hundred years. And if we win, the true Golden Age of America is yet to come.

Finally, the forum finished with a keynote address by the honorable Santiago Peña, President of the Republic of Paraguay who expressed his sincere gratitude for being at the event and expressed optimism toward the new administration of President Donald Trump. As the largest country in the world to diplomatically recognize Taiwan over Communist China and one of only a half dozen countries worldwide to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, President Peña described how Paraguay has emerged as a regional leader and geopolitical player under his leadership. He also made a call to support Paraguay’s candidate to be the next Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Foreign Minister Ruben Ramirez Lezcano.

The 2025 Western Hemisphere Security Forum provided momentum to many friends and fighters of a free society in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Europe, on the eve of the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump. Many special guests traveled from far away to join us on this special occasion to include but limited to:

• Hon. Ruben Ramirez Lezcano, the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Paraguay and candidate to become the next Secretary General of the Organization of American States
• Hon. Gerry Gouveia, the National Security Advisor of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana
• Hon. Maria Fernanda Cabal, an opposition leader and leading presidential contender in Colombia
• Hon. Santiago Abascal, the leader of the VOX political party in Spain and the head of the new Patriots Party in Europe
• Hon. Kinga Gal, the vice president of FIDESZ political party in Hungary and the vice chairman of the new Patriots Party in Europe

All of our international guests were able to meet and network with prominent figures of the America First movement that joined SFS for this important occasion, such as:

• Governor Rick Perry, the former U.S. Secretary of Energy during the first Trump administration
• Patrick Bet-David, the CEO of Valuetainment and host of the top-rated PBD Podcast
• Matt and Mercedes Schlapp, from the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)
• Jim Carafano, Senior Counselor to the President of The Heritage Foundation
• Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater and former U.S. Navy Seal
• Bob Unanue, President and CEO of Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States
  And many more!

We would especially like to thank the sponsors of our forum: the International Freedom Educational Foundation, the Hispanic Impact Panel, Latino Coalition for Israel, Project Dynamo, and Prospera, as well as the many donors that were in attendance, to include Abby Moffat and Diana Spencer from the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, Anita Winsor from the William H. Donner Foundation, Mr. George Lengvari, Jr., and Mr. John and Mrs. Astrid Hajjar. Thank you all for making the Western Hemisphere Security Forum the premier event for the America First movement and the international friends of the free society.