Ex-Haiti Envoy Criticizes Biden Administration's 'Deeply Flawed' Approach

The Biden administration is under fire from Daniel Foote, a former special envoy to Haiti, who resigned in 2021 over what he described as a failed U.S. strategy in the Caribbean nation. Foote claims that the administration’s endorsement of unelected leaders has worsened Haiti’s dire situation, with the country now trapped in a spiral of gang violence and near-total state collapse.

Foote didn't hold back, asserting, "All of the governments that the U.S. has backed or anointed or imposed in the last 110 years have not represented the Haitian people." He specifically criticized the administration's backing of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, saying Henry's loyalty to the U.S. took precedence over questions about his legitimacy.

Haiti’s current predicament is grim. A U.N. report reveals that over 1 million Haitians have been displaced by gang violence, with gangs controlling 85% of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Foote, who has worked in Haiti since the devastating 2010 earthquake, paints a bleak picture: "It's a thousand times worse now because we broke whatever weak social contract there was between the people and the government. It's a failed state."

Foote also called out President Biden directly, recalling a remark Biden allegedly made in 1994 as a senator: "If Haiti just quietly sunk into the Caribbean, or rose up 300 feet, it wouldn’t matter a whole lot in terms of our interests." Foote believes this sentiment underpins the administration’s approach to Haiti.

To address Haiti’s gang epidemic, the Biden administration has committed $600 million to an international security force known as the multinational security support mission (MSS). However, Foote is skeptical, labeling the effort a "waste of taxpayer money" and claiming the MSS lacks the capacity to confront gangs effectively. He suggested deploying 60 U.S. special forces personnel to train an elite anti-gang unit and reestablishing a signals intelligence program to monitor gang communications.

The debate around the MSS is heated. Brian Nichols, former Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, defended the initiative, saying, "Having seen them on the ground in Haiti, it's an extremely professional force, extremely courageous and one committed to the mission." Still, Foote remains unconvinced, warning that inaction could result in chaos spilling onto U.S. shores and a surge in migration.

Jack Brewer, a former NFL player who now runs a foundation active in Haiti, echoed Foote’s concerns. "People are being burned alive, police officers are getting their heads bashed into the pavement – bloody, torturous deaths," Brewer said, underscoring the severity of the crisis. However, Brewer emphasized that real change must come from within Haiti itself, saying, "Until you fix the moral fabric of a nation and reinstate law and order, it doesn't matter what America does."

Foote’s grim assessment highlights a larger problem: the U.S.'s historical approach to Haiti. His words serve as a reminder that policy without genuine representation and local buy-in often leads to disastrous outcomes. Haiti is crying out for help, and whether the U.S. can answer that call effectively remains uncertain.