The Marines once again proved why they are the backbone of American resolve overseas.
According to Col. Tom “Banshee” Trimble, commanding officer of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), U.S. Marines deployed to Haiti were repeatedly engaged in firefights while defending the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince from violent gangs that have turned the capital city into a warzone.
Trimble told reporters that the Marines were fired upon multiple times and returned fire “on several occasions” during their 10-month deployment.
“There were multiple engagements at the embassy in Haiti, in which we received and returned fire,” he stated, making it very clear that the Marines didn’t back down for a second.
From August to December 2025, the 22nd MEU was positioned in Haiti to secure the embassy as gangs overran nearly 90 percent of the capital.
Port-au-Prince is now in the grip of organized crime and chaos, but American Marines stood their ground under pressure, protecting U.S. diplomats and personnel in one of the most volatile environments in the Western Hemisphere.
Trimble emphasized that while the engagements were intense, no Marines were injured or killed — a testament, he said, to their training, discipline, and clear understanding of the rules of engagement.