White House says Haitian leader’s assassination is a ‘horrific crime’

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has said that the Biden administration is “assessing” the situation after Haitian President Jovenel Moise was shot dead in his private residence by unknown attackers overnight.

Ms Psaki told MSNBC: “We’re still gathering information. We’re still assessing right now.”

“This is a tragic tragedy. It’s a horrific crime,” she told CNN.

She went on to express solidarity with the people of Haiti.

“We stand ready and stand by them to provide any assistance that’s needed,” she said. “Of course our embassy and State Department will be in close touch, but it’s a tragedy. We stand with them and it’s important that people of Haiti know that.”

The US is Haiti’s top foreign donor. The opposition in the country had accused the US of being lenient towards President Moise because of his support for US foreign policy.

His administration opposed Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, unlike the rest of the Caribbean community, Reuters reported.