U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the East Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., July 15, 2021. (Photo: Agencies)

President Joe Biden said Thursday that sending US troops to Haiti in the wake of the assassination of that country's leader Jovenel Moise was not "on the agenda" for now, after officials in Port-au-Prince requested military assistance.

"We're only sending American Marines to our embassy to make sure that they are secure and nothing is out of whack at all. But the idea of sending American forces into Haiti is not on the agenda at this moment," Biden told a joint press conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.