The Haitian Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his inauguration as the 47th president of the United States and expressed hope for strengthened cooperation between the two nations in addressing Haiti’s worsening insecurity.

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In a statement shared on its social media platform X, the CPT declared, “The Haitian people hope that cooperation will be significantly reinforced in the fight against insecurity in Haiti during President Trump’s term. This will be to the mutual benefit of both nations.”

The CPT extended its congratulations to Trump, who was inaugurated on Monday, and wished him success on behalf of the Haitian people. The Council highlighted the historical bond between the United States and Haiti, noting that both were among the first independent nations in the Americas and have cultivated “fruitful bilateral relations.”

The statement concluded with the phrase: “May God bless the United States and Haiti.”

On the day of his inauguration, President Trump declared a “national emergency” at the U.S.-Mexico border and signed several executive orders to deliver on his campaign promises, including militarizing the border, banning entry for migrants and asylum seekers, and deporting the over 11 million undocumented individuals living in the U.S.

Notably, Trump ended two programs introduced by his predecessor, Joe Biden, designed to discourage irregular migration:

• CBP One mobile application, a platform that streamlined asylum processes.
• Humanitarian parole program, which allowed citizens from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela to legally enter the U.S. by air.

The parole program had enabled over 531,000 migrants from these countries to travel to the U.S.

During his presidential campaign, Trump faced significant backlash for inflammatory remarks about migrants. In one instance, he accused Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, of “eating the pets—dogs and cats—of local residents.”

These comments, widely condemned as offensive and unsubstantiated, added tension to Trump’s relationship with Haitian communities, both in the U.S. and abroad.

Violence in Haiti

The CPT’s statement comes amid a dire security crisis in Haiti. In 2024, the United Nations reported over 5,600 deaths caused by violence, exacerbating the humanitarian and political turmoil in the Caribbean nation.

Haitians are now looking to the U.S., under President Trump’s leadership, for meaningful support in restoring stability and addressing the root causes of the insecurity plaguing the country.

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