Henry P. Wooster, who has served as the Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince since June 12, 2025, is scheduled to depart Haiti in the near future. The White House, under the administration of President Donald Trump, officially announced Wooster’s nomination as the U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Kenya. The nomination has been formally submitted to the U.S. Senate for confirmation.
A career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor, Wooster was originally appointed to head a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach to U.S. policy toward Haiti. His mandate focused heavily on coordinating international support and logistics for Haitian security forces during the ongoing domestic stabilization efforts. Wooster brings extensive diplomatic expertise to his new assignment, having previously served as Ambassador to Jordan (2020–2023), Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Deputy Chief of Mission in Paris, and Political Counselor in Islamabad, alongside an early-career stint as Consul in Port-au-Prince.
Political observers note that Wooster possessed the specific technical profile required to advance U.S. diplomatic objectives during a challenging period in Haitian history. His departure underlines a broader trend in current U.S. foreign policy; the Trump administration has maintained leadership at the Port-au-Prince embassy at the Chargé d’Affaires level rather than appointing a full ambassador since Dennis Hankins. This approach aligns with a nationwide diplomatic restructuring driven by massive budget cuts, heightened security protocols globally, and administrative downsizings. As of June 2026, reports indicate that this strategic reorganization has left approximately 37 U.S. ambassadorial posts vacant worldwide.
