WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden condemned the “heinous” killing of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse on Wednesday, saying the assassination was a “worrisome” sign for the Caribbean nation.
Moïse’s killing at his Port-au-Prince home in the early hours of Wednesday morning sent U.S. diplomats and national security officials scrambling to gather information to determine what happened. The United States offered assistance to Haitian authorities in their investigation into his murder.
But it was not immediately clear what kind of assistance the United States would provide. U.S. officials said they stood ready to receive specific requests for help.
“We are shocked and saddened to hear of the horrific assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and the attack on first lady Martine Moïse of Haiti,” Biden said in a statement. “We condemn this heinous act, and I am sending my sincere wishes for First Lady Moïse’s recovery.”
Moïse’s wife was being treated for a gunshot wound.
“The United States offers condolences to the people of Haiti, and we stand ready to assist as we continue to work for a safe and secure Haiti,” Biden said.
He told reporters at the White House that he is seeking more details on the killing. “We need a lot more information,” Biden said as he left for a trip to Illinois. “It’s very worrisome about the state of Haiti.”
Administration officials were in frequent contact with the country’s acting prime minister, Claude Joseph, throughout the day, with the U.S. State Department’s deputy chief of mission in Port-au-Prince serving as a top liaison between Haitian and American officials.
“We just don’t have clear answers at this time,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. “We stand ready to offer assistance to that investigation. But obviously we’re going to let that investigation play out, and of course, the Haitian authorities are in the lead on that investigation.”
Price did not provide details on what kinds of assistance the United States might provide, but said the administration expects to receive a request for defense equipment.
The U.S. ambassador to Haiti, Michele Sison, who was in Washington on Wednesday and briefed Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the evolving situation, has been in direct contact with the Haitian National Police.
The Biden administration has also been contending with rumors circulating on Haitian social media that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency was somehow involved in the assassination, based on videos circulating online.
Administration officials strongly denied DEA involvement.
“The Haitian ambassador himself has dismissed these allegations,” Price said. “These reports are absolutely false. The United States condemns this heinous act. These false reports are nothing more than that — just false reports.”
Members of Congress also reacted to the assassination with concern.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks, a New York Democrat, said “the next few days are critical for Haiti.” Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, ranking member on the committee, called for a full investigation of the killing.
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida urged the Biden administration to help in the local probe.
“I urge President Biden to direct the Department of State to support the Haitian National police and help bring the murderers to justice,” Rubio said. “We cannot allow this cowardly, evil attack to bring even more hardship to the people of Haiti and further destabilize their country.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, said in a statement that Congress “condemns this barbaric act.”
“We stand ready to provide support and assistance to the people of Haiti during this challenging time,” she said.
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(White House correspondent Bryan Lowry contributed to this story.)
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