While Biden’s foreign policy enabled corruption and chaos, Trump’s hardline approach may offer Haiti a path to justice and reform.
Geopolitics & Accountability | The Haitian Pulse Editorial Team | July 27 2025
The contrast could not be more striking. Under President Joe Biden, Haiti witnessed one of the darkest periods in its modern political history. The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 marked not only the collapse of executive power in Haiti but also revealed a network of transnational complicity. Many of the mercenaries involved were trained, based, or connected to entities within the United States. Despite this, the Biden administration offered little in terms of accountability.
"A president was slaughtered in his own bedroom, and Washington looked the other way."
Rather than supporting an independent investigation or a neutral transitional government, the Biden administration backed Ariel Henry—a man allegedly connected to the very networks suspected in the assassination plot. Henry's installation deepened the crisis. Under his rule, gangs proliferated, institutions decayed, and public trust eroded. The administration's reliance on familiar but compromised figures allowed Haiti's oligarchs and corrupt politicians to operate freely.
A Shift in Wind: Trump’s Unexpected Role in Disruption
Fast forward to 2025. Donald Trump, newly re-elected for a second term, brought with him a harsh immigration agenda that initially sparked fear across Haitian communities. But beneath the surface of his zero-tolerance rhetoric emerged an unexpected benefit: an aggressive crackdown on international corruption with Haiti in focus.
In less than seven months, Trump’s administration has already overseen the apprehension of Réginald Boulos—a powerful oligarch long accused of corruption, political interference, and destabilizing activities. With the arrest of Réginald Boulos now underway, it is expected that more of these oligarchs will be apprehended—including all those associated with the destabilization effort. Just yesterday, the U.S. revoked the visa of lawyer and political figure André Michel, halting his travel and signaling broader scrutiny—a development likely to deepen in the days ahead.
"For the first time in years, the U.S. appears to be going after the puppet masters instead of the puppets."
While Biden's approach empowered and emboldened Haiti's most corrupt actors, Trump's policies, though harsh, are beginning to expose and dismantle the elite networks that have crippled the country.
The Core Difference: Enabling vs. Exposing
Where Biden's policy centered on stability through appeasement, Trump's strategy seems rooted in disruption. For a country like Haiti—where the power structure is built on corruption, not consensus—disruption might be exactly what is needed.
The Biden administration's DEI policies and humanitarian diplomacy failed to recognize the realities of the Haitian elite's grip on power. It propped up leaders like Ariel Henry and ignored the outcry from civil society. In doing so, it legitimized a political structure responsible for widespread suffering.
In contrast, Trump has made no secret of his disdain for globalist entanglements and has focused his administration on internal U.S. interests. But ironically, that isolationist agenda is now forcing long-shielded Haitian figures into the light. Trump doesn’t owe them protection. And without that shield, many are starting to fall.
Breathing Room or False Dawn?
Many in the Haitian community who supported Trump’s campaign did so with cautious optimism. While few expected his immigration policies to be anything less than severe, there was a prevailing belief that a Trump presidency could give Haiti some breathing room—especially when it came to holding the oligarchs and political saboteurs accountable.
For many Haitians, the past few years have felt like suffocation. Controlled by a handful of oligarchs, exploited by political actors, and abandoned by international allies, the nation has been sinking. Biden’s tenure offered no reprieve—only more of the same.
Now, the emerging trend of visa revocations, targeted arrests, and international pressure could offer a temporary window for change. But only if Haitian institutions rise to the occasion. Only if the population remains vigilant.
Trump’s policy on immigration may be hurtful in the short term. However, in the long term, the possibilities for Haiti are endless. With the right alignment of internal reform, diaspora mobilization, and international accountability, Haiti could finally reclaim its narrative. The current pressure on oligarchs and corrupt politicians opens a rare window of opportunity—one that demands unity, vigilance, and strategic planning from all sectors of Haitian society.
“Trump’s crackdown isn’t a promise—it’s a chance. Whether Haiti takes it depends on what comes next.”
The Haitian Pulse will continue to track these developments and expose the political games that keep Haiti in crisis. The contrast between two administrations has never been more clear—nor the stakes more urgent.
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