El Salvador Accuses U.S. Diplomats of False Claims Over Haiti Military Operations Despite Trump's Backing
El Salvador has accused U.S. diplomats of spreading false information about its military operations against gangs in Haiti, exposing a dispute within the Trump administration over a campaign President Donald Trump personally endorsed.
According to an Axios investigation published Tuesday, November 10, the confrontation escalated after an October 31 gang attack on a Salvadoran military convoy near the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince. The embassy was struck by gunfire, but American and Salvadoran officials disagree over who fired the shots.
In a diplomatic protest dated November 5, the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador accused Salvadoran forces of failing to coordinate with the multinational Gang Suppression Force (GSF), putting international troops and American personnel at risk.
The complaint alleged that Salvadoran gunfire struck the U.S. Embassy, narrowly missing American personnel.
U.S. Chargé d'Affaires David Howell had separately warned Haiti's prime minister that Salvadoran operations could endanger GSF soldiers and civilians. He also reported three Salvadoran casualties and raised concerns about inadequate medical arrangements.
President Nayib Bukele's government rejected the accusations in a formal response on November 9.
El Salvador insisted its soldiers had been firing away from the American Embassy during the October 31 attack and denied that its troops had endangered Chadian soldiers during a separate confrontation with gangs on November 3.
It also maintained that its air operations had been coordinated with Haitian authorities and the GSF since October 26.
The Salvadoran government challenged Howell's account of military casualties, arguing that the disputed information raised serious questions about the credibility of his other allegations.
U.S. officials stood by their account, saying three Salvadorans had been injured, including one who required evacuation for medical treatment.
The diplomatic clash is particularly sensitive because Trump reportedly approved Bukele's military escalation during an October 27 telephone call.
El Salvador expanded its deployment after four Salvadoran aviation technicians disappeared during a gang ambush on October 18. More than 2,000 Salvadoran troops have since entered Haiti, although questions remain about their command structure and coordination with the UN-backed security mission.
The State Department has welcomed Salvadoran efforts against the gangs while insisting that military operations must be coordinated to protect personnel and civilians.