When Military Shows of Force Replace Political Solutions: The Contradiction at the Heart of U.S. Haiti Policy
February 18, 2026
In early 2026, Haiti has reached a critical juncture where the expiration of the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) mandate has paved the way for a more overt U.S. military presence in the Caribbean. The arrival of warships in the Bay of Port-au-Prince on February 4, 2026, underscores a century-long pattern: when Haitian institutions falter, Washington resorts to “Gunboat Diplomacy.”