Marines Exchange Fire With Haitian Gang Outside US Embassy: Report

U.S. Marines stationed at the American embassy in Haiti were forced into a firefight last week after suspected gang members opened fire on embassy security, a Marine Corps spokesperson confirmed Sunday. Capt. Steven J. Keenan told Fox News that Marines conducting routine security operations in Port-au-Prince on Nov. 13 “came under fire from suspected gang members… and returned fire,” underscoring the growing danger surrounding U.S. personnel in the collapsing Caribbean nation.

“U.S. Marines are committed to the safety and security of U.S. embassies worldwide and respond to all threats with professionalism and swift, disciplined action,” Keenan said.

No Marines were injured, according to reporting first published by The Washington Post. The State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Haiti did not immediately comment, an increasingly common silence as the security situation spirals out of control.

A Nation Held Hostage by Criminal Gangs

Haiti’s capital remains almost entirely under gang rule, with the United Nations estimating that armed groups now control up to 90% of Port-au-Prince. These gangs have seized roads, torched infrastructure, and unleashed waves of kidnappings, assault, and murder—making daily life nearly unlivable and wiping out what remained of the country’s governing structure.

Since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, Haiti has lacked any elected leadership, widening its political void and fueling a full-blown security collapse.

The U.N. has authorized a multinational force of 5,550 personnel to stabilize the country, protect civilians, and help local authorities regain control. The mission, expected to begin in early October, still lacks clarity on which nations will actually commit personnel, though funding will rely largely on voluntary contributions from U.N. member states.

Meanwhile, the United States continues to maintain its highest-level travel warning for Haiti — a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory — citing rampant kidnapping, violent crime, terrorism threats, and sustained civil unrest. Non-essential U.S. government personnel and their families were ordered to evacuate in mid-2023. Haiti has remained under a national state of emergency since March 2024.

Washington Shifts to a Harder Posture

As Haiti’s crisis intensifies, the Biden-era paralysis on foreign security threats has been decisively reversed under President Donald J. Trump’s second-term national defense leadership.

Last week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon is moving to a full “wartime footing,” warning that adversaries who test U.S. resolve may quickly “FAFO” — short for “f*ck around and find out.”

In a speech outlining his department’s new aggressive posture, Hegseth said the United States is retooling procurement, testing, and weapons readiness to guarantee decisive force when necessary, Mediaite reported.

“We are not just buying something. We are solving life-and-death problems for our warfighters,” he said.
“We’re not building for peacetime; we are pivoting the Pentagon and industrial base to a wartime footing — building for victory should our adversaries FAFO.”

Hegseth has instructed the newly renamed Department of War — a return to the agency’s historic title — to streamline testing and evaluation processes that have slowed weapons deployments for years.

“Testing early and often is essential at early stages of development, but testing for the sake of testing inhibits progress and delays delivery,” he said, emphasizing speed over bureaucratic bottlenecks.

New “portfolio scorecards” will track how rapidly weapons systems reach frontline units, prioritizing combat readiness and availability over administrative reviews.

“We will shine a light on performance standards. Our primary performance measure is how long it takes to put weapons in the hands of our men and women who use them if and when necessary,” he said.

The secretary also blasted the outdated, maintenance-heavy systems that continue to drain resources.

“Far too many systems are languishing in shipyards and waiting years for parts,” Hegseth said.
“We will maximize the number of weapons systems that are available for conflict. The faster we can deliver modern weapons systems, the faster we can retire decades-old legacy systems.”

With U.S. Marines now exchanging gunfire at an American embassy and global threats accelerating, the administration’s message is unmistakable: the United States will not hesitate to defend its people or its interests abroad.