Through the Cold War, the United States focused its foreign policy of promoting anti-communism in Peru instead of assisting with democratic efforts.

[1] Relations reached their lowest point during the United States invasion of Panama of 1989 when Peru recalled its ambassador in protest of American military actions.

In 2002, nine people died when a car bomb detonated by suspected rebels in the Peruvian capital just days before a visit from American President George W. Bush.

During its time as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2006 to 2007,[9] Peru—despite having refrained from openly participating in George Bush's "War on terror" itself—alongside the U.S. and the West, repeatedly voted in favor of extending the authorization mandate of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan,[10][11] and increasing sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear program.

Peru urged North Korea to unconditionally return to the six-party talks and to suspend all activity related to its nuclear program.

[16] In reaction to the Libyan Civil War, Peru became the first country to cut ties with Libya "until the violence against the people ceases" as a result of the aerial bombing of Tripoli.

[20] The US government condemned Pedro Castillo's attempted self-coup in December 2022 and welcomed the appointment of Dina Boluarte as president.

Bilateral programs are now in effect to reduce the flow of drugs through Peru's port systems and to perform ground interdiction in tandem with successful law enforcement operations.

Peru remains part of SICOFAA (whose creation was proposed by the Peruvian Air Force in 1964) and the Rio Pact, requiring it and the U.S. to assist each other in case of attack, and continues to be a regular participant in RIMPAC, an international maritime military exercise led by the U.S. to promote stability throughout the Pacific in the event of potential conflicts ranging from China invading Taiwan or North Korean aggression against its neighbors.