The Biden administration’s handling of Haiti has come under sharp criticism from a former U.S. envoy, who has labeled its approach as fundamentally misguided and detrimental to the Caribbean nation’s stability. The ex-ambassador’s scathing remarks highlight a growing discontent with Washington’s foreign policy decisions amid Haiti’s worsening political and humanitarian crises as of March 21, 2025.
Haiti, a nation long plagued by political instability, gang violence, and economic hardship, has seen its challenges intensify in recent years. The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 plunged the country into deeper chaos, leaving a leadership vacuum that interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry struggled to fill. The Biden administration’s decision to back Henry, despite widespread domestic opposition, has drawn particular ire from critics, including the former envoy.
According to the ex-ambassador, the administration’s strategy was shortsighted and ignored the root causes of Haiti’s instability. Rather than fostering democratic processes or addressing systemic issues like corruption and gang dominance, the U.S. prioritized maintaining a pliable leader willing to cooperate on migration issues. This included supporting Henry in exchange for his agreement to accept deportees from the United States—a move the envoy argues sacrificed Haiti’s democratic aspirations for short-term American interests.
“The approach was deeply flawed from the start,” the former ambassador stated, pointing to the administration’s apparent dismissal of plans for free and fair elections that had been in development for years. “Haiti was on a fragile path toward stability, and instead of nurturing that, the Biden team derailed it for political expediency.” This sentiment echoes broader concerns that U.S. policy has propped up an unpopular figurehead while failing to tackle the underlying drivers of unrest.
The consequences of this policy have been stark. Haiti’s security situation has deteriorated dramatically, with armed gangs controlling large swathes of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and displacing over half a million people. Nearly five million Haitians face severe food insecurity, and gender-based violence has surged amid the lawlessness. The Biden administration’s response—backing a Multinational Security Support Mission led by Kenyan forces—has been met with cautious optimism but also skepticism about its ability to restore order without a clear political framework.
Critics argue that the U.S. misstepped by not engaging more robustly with Haitian civil society and opposition groups, who viewed Henry as illegitimate and demanded a broader transitional government. The former envoy emphasized that sidelining these voices alienated the Haitian populace and undermined any chance of sustainable governance. “Stability was chosen over democracy, but you can’t have one without the other in the long run,” the ambassador remarked.
The Biden administration has defended its actions, pointing to over $300 million in financial aid and equipment pledged to support the security mission, as well as diplomatic efforts to rally international partners. President Biden himself has described the mission as Haiti’s “best chance” to reclaim security and democratic governance. Yet, the ex-ambassador contends that these measures are Band-Aids on a gaping wound, failing to address the political legitimacy crisis at Haiti’s core.
This is not the first time Biden’s Haiti policy has faced backlash. In 2021, Daniel Foote, then the U.S. special envoy to Haiti, resigned in protest, calling the administration’s deportation of Haitian migrants “inhumane” and its support for Henry misguided. Foote’s departure underscored early fractures in the U.S. approach, fractures that the former ambassador now suggests have widened into a chasm.
As Haiti teeters on the brink, the ex-envoy’s critique raises pressing questions about U.S. foreign policy priorities. With gang violence escalating and democratic institutions in tatters, the Biden administration faces mounting pressure to reassess its strategy. For now, Haiti’s future remains uncertain, caught between international intervention and internal strife—leaving observers to wonder whether Washington’s “deeply flawed” approach can be salvaged before it’s too late.