A senior U.S. military adviser disclosed to Congress on Tuesday that American security officials are working toward a closer, more formal relationship with a private military company operating in Haiti — one run by Erik Prince, a well-known ally of President Donald Trump. The announcement comes as human rights organizations raise serious concerns about civilian deaths tied to drone strikes carried out by the firm.
Prince, who founded the now-defunct private military contractor Blackwater — several of whose members received pardons in 2020 for the killings of Iraqi civilians — has since had contractors active in Ecuador and the Democratic Republic of Congo. His current company, Vectus Global, began operations in Haiti in March 2025, using drones deployed through a Haitian government-run Task Force to strike powerful armed gangs that have taken control of large portions of the country.
According to Human Rights Watch, drone strikes carried out in 141 operations between March 2025 and January 2026 resulted in the deaths of 1,243 people, among them 43 civilian adults and 17 children. An additional 738 people were injured, including 49 civilians. The rights organization noted that both the number of strikes and the death toll rose sharply between October and January.
Colonel Justin Gorkowski of the U.S. Department of Defense, who co-leads an oversight team for the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) — a United Nations-backed security mission tasked with helping Haitian police combat gangs — described Haiti’s Task Force as “a tremendous partner” during the congressional hearing. He said a Task Force officer would be embedded in a joint operations center the following week.
“We have coordination, informally, at all levels of command, with Vectus Global and the Haitian Task Force, but this will formalize that agreement partnership,” Gorkowski said. He noted there is currently no operational overlap between the two entities, but added: “In the future, of course, as we shut down the gangs, that partnership will get closer.”
The United States contributes funding to both the GSF and Haiti’s national police force. Earlier this month, the GSF stated that it works exclusively alongside Haiti’s police and armed forces. The State Department, Vectus Global, and the GSF did not respond to requests for comment.
When pressed on civilian death tolls, Gorkowski said he was not aware of specific figures but maintained that his team takes every possible step to reduce risks. Michael Kozak, a senior U.S. bureau official for Western Hemisphere affairs who also appeared at the hearing, said the United States depends on human rights groups for casualty data.
“This is a war situation, and unfortunately, that’s a reality for the situation we find ourselves in,” Gorkowski said. He argued that the Task Force’s strikes are becoming more targeted and serve a critical function, and expressed confidence that adequate oversight mechanisms are in place.
A State Department official, speaking anonymously to Reuters last week, said that American citizens working for Vectus in Haiti are not required to disclose their activities as foreign government contractors, and that the U.S. government has no oversight authority over Vectus’ operations.
Despite legal questions surrounding the use of lethal force, the drone campaign has drawn some praise for putting gangs in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, on the defensive. However, gang activity has expanded beyond the capital, forcing tens of thousands more residents from their homes.
Haiti’s government turned to Prince’s company as security conditions worsened even after the arrival of an initial Kenyan-led, U.N.-backed mission that struggled with limited resources and never exceeded roughly 40% of its 2,500-troop target before withdrawing earlier this year. The more combat-focused GSF is aiming to field 5,500 troops by fall.
Gorkowski outlined troop assignments within the GSF, saying forces from Chad would be responsible for the West Department, which includes Port-au-Prince; Sri Lanka would handle the Artibonite agricultural region, which has experienced some of the worst violence; and Ivory Coast, once deployed, would take responsibility for Haiti’s Center Department. Bangladesh, he said, is in “good shape for deployment.” He predicted the GSF would “only just be hitting our stride” when its mandate comes up for renewal in October.
