US pledges to curb Haitian gang social media

Mike Waltz, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations, announced on July 20, 2026, that the U.S. government will soon take action to stop violent gangs in Haiti from profiting from social media posts. Gang leaders in Haiti use social media to celebrate killings, issue threats, and recruit children. Waltz called the practice 'incredibly disturbing' and said the U.S. would 'shut that down,' but provided no further details. The announcement came during a U.N. Security Council meeting in New York. Separately, the U.S. is preparing to strip temporary protected status from some 350,000 Haitians, exposing them to deportation. Gang violence has displaced nearly 1.5 million people in Haiti, with over 2,300 killed since January 2026. The U.N.-backed gang suppression force, led by Jack Christofides, has established its headquarters and begun operations. Haiti faces pressure to hold general elections, its first in over a decade, while the country remains without a president since Jovenel Moïse's assassination in 2021.