The Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) is a temporary, collective head-of-state body created in April 2024 to exercise the powers and duties of Haiti’s president until a new elected president takes office or the council’s transitional mandate expires. It works alongside the prime minister to run the government and organize elections (including choosing an interim prime minister and Cabinet and coordinating with international partners on security and the Multinational Security Support mission).
The February 7, 2026 deadline comes from the TPC’s transitional mandate established in the April 2024 transitional arrangements (a decree/political accord) and is recognized by regional and international actors (CARICOM’s Eminent Persons Group and other stakeholders) as the date the council’s mandate ends and a new permanent authority should be in place.
Alix Didier Fils‑Aimé is Haiti’s prime minister (referred to in the U.S. readout as Prime Minister Alix Fils‑Aimé). As prime minister he heads Haiti’s government and is responsible for day‑to‑day executive authority, including security responses; the U.S. statement urges his continued tenure to provide consistent leadership against gangs.
Haiti’s violence is driven mainly by organized gang networks that control large parts of Port‑au‑Prince and other areas; UN and reporting identify powerful gangs (often referred to collectively) as responsible for widespread attacks, kidnappings and disruptions to public order rather than a single named group in the U.S. readout.
U.S. measures that could be described as imposing a “steep cost” on corrupt politicians commonly include targeted sanctions (asset freezes, visa restrictions), withholding or conditioning aid and assistance, and public diplomatic isolation; the U.S. has used such tools in Haiti-linked cases previously and signaled similar options in recent statements.
Current U.S. support and options for Haiti named publicly include diplomatic engagement (high‑level contacts and political readouts), backing for international security efforts (support for the U.N./Kenyan-led multinational security mission and requests for contributions), and law‑enforcement and judicial assistance; the U.S. can also provide humanitarian aid and conditional financial assistance, and has previously used sanctions and other assistance to address corruption and gangs.
Tommy Pigott is the State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson; the readout is an official State Department summary of Secretary Rubio’s phone call (attributed to Pigott) and reflects the department’s account of U.S. views and positions conveyed in that call.