U.S. Takes Aggressive Approach Against Gangs in Haiti

During a discussion with Martha McCallum on Fox News, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Walz indicated that the Trump administration is contemplating decisive action against gang groups that currently dominate much of Haiti. He revealed that the U.N. Security Council has granted “the authority and rules of engagement to carry out attacks against these gangs.”

“Unlike before, we’re going to go on the offensive,” Walz stated.

On September 30, the United Nations launched the Anti-Gang Unit, aimed at bolstering the Haitian military’s efforts to tackle gang violence and support infrastructure improvements. Walz highlighted the necessity of confronting these gangs as part of the administration’s extensive campaign against criminal activities in the Caribbean.

“These gangs are collaborating with transnational groups, transporting drugs, money, weapons. They’re destabilizing entire regions,” he remarked.

The U.N. has been engaged in Haiti’s security efforts since 2023, having deployed 400 Kenyan police officers to assist with police operations and the safeguarding of essential infrastructure. The situation has escalated, with gangs now exerting control over approximately 90% of Port-au-Prince, resulting in over 13,000 fatalities due to gang-related violence since 2023.

According to the new U.N. resolution, the total number of U.N. personnel will rise to over 5,500, incorporating military support along with police forces. However, the crucial change lies in strategizing from defensive actions toward proactive engagements against gang operations.

Under the new resolution, U.N. forces are authorized to execute “targeted intelligence-led counter-gang operations to neutralize, isolate, and deter gangs that continue to threaten civilians.” Ambassador Walz summarized the administration’s stance by saying, “Unlike in the past, we will take an aggressive stance.”

This initiative represents a further measure by the Trump administration to tackle international crime throughout the Caribbean. Earlier in February, President Trump labeled specific drug cartels as international terrorist organizations. In September, a U.S. Navy task force was dispatched to the Southern Caribbean, prompting these cartels to shift their operations overland. So far, the U.S. military has carried out four significant strikes against cartel vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean.