If you walk through downtown Port-au-Prince today, you won’t see a gleaming dome or a grand portico. You’ll see a flat, fenced-off expanse of land that looks more like a forgotten construction site than the seat of a nation. This is the site of the white house in Haiti, more formally known as the National Palace (Palais National). For over a century, this building wasn't just a residence; it was a mirror of Haiti’s soul—and its struggles.
Most people calling it "the white house" aren't just confused by the color. They’re picking up on a deep, complicated history where Washington and Port-au-Prince have been intertwined for decades. Honestly, the story of this building is a bit of a tragedy, a bit of a mystery, and a whole lot of geopolitics.
Why the National Palace looks like the White House
The resemblance isn't a total accident, but it’s not a copy-paste job either. The version of the palace that most people remember—the one that famously collapsed in the 2010 earthquake—was designed by a Haitian architect named Georges Baussan. He studied at the Ecole d’Architecture in Paris, which explains why the building had that distinct French Renaissance and Neoclassical flair.
Think high ceilings, massive Ionic columns, and three distinct white domes. It was actually twice the size of the U.S. White House. Baussan won a competition in 1912 to build it, but here’s where the "White House" connection gets real: the construction was finished under the watchful eyes of U.S. Naval engineers during the American occupation of Haiti (1915–1934).
A history of blowing up
Haiti’s leaders have a rough track record with their residences. The palace we saw fall on the news in 2010 was actually the fourth one built on that site.
- The first one was demolished in 1869 during a revolt.
- The second one was destroyed in 1912 when a massive explosion killed President Cincinnatus Leconte and hundreds of soldiers.
- The third one was torched by a mob in 1915.
By the time the fourth palace was finished in 1920, it was supposed to represent stability. Instead, it became a stage for some of the most dramatic moments in Caribbean history, from the Duvalier dictatorship to the eventual collapse in 2010.
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The day the domes fell
When the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit on January 12, 2010, the image of the pancaked National Palace became the global symbol of the disaster. It was jarring. One minute, this majestic white structure is standing, and the next, the second floor has completely swallowed the first.
Experts who toured the ruins later, like photojournalist Swoan Parker, described a "staircase of grandeur" leading to nowhere. The "Oval Office" of Haiti was just a room full of rubble. There was a weird irony in it—the building was designed to look invincible, but it was built with heavy concrete domes supported by relatively thin columns. When the earth shook, those domes acted like hammers, crushing everything beneath them.
For two years, the ruins just sat there. It was a ghostly reminder of a government that was struggling to function. Finally, in late 2012, a group called Sean Penn’s J/P HRO helped oversee the demolition. They tore it down, cleared the site, and left a void in the middle of the city.
Where is the white house in Haiti now?
If you're looking for the palace in 2026, you're looking at a ghost. There were big plans to rebuild. In 2018, the late President Jovenel Moïse even laid a "first stone" to start reconstruction. He wanted a modern version of Baussan’s 1912 design, equipped with 21st-century earthquake technology.
But then, Haiti happened. Moïse was assassinated in 2021—not at the palace, but at his private residence. Since then, the country has spiraled into a security crisis that has made building a shed difficult, let alone a presidential palace.
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The 2024–2025 Gang Siege
In early 2024, the site of the white house in Haiti became a literal battlefield. Gang coalitions, specifically the "Viv Ansanm" alliance led by Jimmy "Barbecue" Chérizier, launched a massive offensive to take over the downtown area. They didn't just want the airport; they wanted the palace.
Why? Symbolism. If you control the palace grounds, you control the image of the state. Throughout late 2024 and into 2025, the Haitian National Police, backed by a Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, fought tooth and nail to keep the gangs off the property. As of early 2026, the government has managed to hold onto the site, even holding symbolic cabinet meetings there to prove they still exist. But the "palace" is basically just a collection of temporary structures and high-security fences.
U.S. Involvement and the "Other" White House
When people search for the white house in Haiti, they are often actually looking for what the U.S. White House is doing about the situation. The relationship is... tense.
Right now, in 2026, the Biden-Trump transition (and the subsequent Trump administration's "world politics on their heads" approach, as some analysts put it) has changed the vibe.
- Security Funding: The U.S. remains the biggest financial backer of the MSS mission.
- TPS Drama: There is a huge controversy right now regarding the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, which is set to expire in February 2026. This puts about 350,000 people at risk of being sent back to a country that still doesn't have a functional "white house."
- Diplomacy: Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently reaffirmed that the U.S. is pushing for national elections in 2026.
The Myth of the "White House" Tunnels
You can't talk about this place without mentioning the rumors. Ask anyone in Port-au-Prince, and they’ll tell you about the tunnels. Folklore says a network of secret passages connects the National Palace to various parts of the city—some say all the way to the coast or the hills of Pétion-Ville.
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While most of this is likely "kinda" exaggerated, there were bunkers. During the demolition in 2012, workers found reinforced basement levels that had survived the quake relatively intact. Dictators like François "Papa Doc" Duvalier definitely used the palace as a fortress. But the idea of a secret underground city? That’s mostly just the stuff of Haitian urban legends.
What happens next?
Rebuilding the National Palace is a polarizing idea. On one hand, supporters say Haiti needs its symbol of sovereignty back. They argue that you can't have a functioning government that operates out of rented offices and villas.
On the other hand, critics point to the fact that nearly half the population is facing "acute food insecurity" (that's the technical term for "starving"). Spending millions on a white marble palace while the streets are controlled by gangs feels, well, tone-deaf to many.
Actionable Realities for 2026:
- The Site is a Fortress: If you are traveling to Port-au-Prince (which the State Department still says is a terrible idea—Level 4: Do Not Travel), do not expect to get anywhere near the palace grounds. It is a militarized zone.
- Elections are the Key: The reconstruction of a physical "white house" is secondary to the "reconstruction" of the government. Watch for the 2026 election cycle; that will determine if there’s even a president to live in a new palace.
- Humanitarian Focus: Most NGOs and international bodies are bypassing the "symbolic" buildings to focus on the Artibonite region and the south, where displacement from gang violence is at record highs.
The white house in Haiti remains a vacant lot for now. It’s a powerful metaphor for a country that is currently in between versions of itself. Whether it rises again as a Beaux-Arts masterpiece or a modern glass fortress, its absence is arguably the loudest thing in Port-au-Prince.
To stay updated on the status of the National Palace and U.S.-Haiti relations, you should monitor official releases from the Haitian Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. Following local Haitian journalists on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) provides the most immediate "boots-on-the-ground" updates on the security perimeter around the palace site.