U.S. working with Haiti's Joseph as 'incumbent' -State Dept.

Moise just this week appointed a new prime minister, Ariel Henry, to take over from interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph, although he had yet to be sworn in when the president was killed.

Joseph appeared on Wednesday to take charge of the situation, running the government response to the assassination, appealing to Washington for support and declaring a state of emergency.

Henry - considered more favorably by the opposition - told Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste that he did not consider Joseph the legitimate prime minister and he should revert to the role of foreign minister.

The State Department said it has been in touch with both Joseph and Henry.