US President Donald Trump has revived his threat of intervention in Cuba, suggesting that American warships returning from the war with Iran could stop near the island before secretary of state Marco Rubio steps in to negotiate a deal.Speaking at a rally in South Florida on Friday, Trump responded to a question shouted by someone in the crowd about Cuba. His remarks came just days before the US midterm elections, with voters concerned about rising prices of essentials, including fuel and groceries, amid the war with Iran.“We’ll do a little stopover,” Trump said. “Actually, what we’re going to do with Cuba is, we’re going to come back from Iran. Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We’ll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They’ll raise up their hands. And then we’re going to send (Secretary of State) Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal.”Trump had floated a similar idea earlier this year but had not raised it publicly in recent months. He has repeatedly suggested that Cuba could become the next focus of US intervention after the Iran war, which he has long predicted would wind down but has not yet ended.
Trump and Rubio turn up pressure on Cuba
Trump and Rubio have both adopted a hard line towards Cuba’s communist government. In May, the two renewed the possibility of US military intervention, with the threat gaining further significance after the Trump administration announced criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro.Trump told reporters in the Oval Office at the time that previous US presidents had considered intervening in Cuba for decades, adding that “it looks like I’ll be the one that does it.”Rubio has argued that Cuba poses a national security threat because of its relationships with countries hostile to the US. Although he has said Washington wants to resolve its differences with Havana peacefully, he has expressed doubts about reaching a diplomatic agreement with the island’s current leadership.Shortly after Trump’s speech on Friday, Rubio posted on social media that “now is the time” for action on Cuba. Addressing those seeking to bring about change on the island, he urged them “to seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA.”Rubio has not spoken extensively about Cuba in recent weeks. In a September 29 interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, he described the island’s economic and political situation in stark terms.“The truth is Cuba has already fallen. It doesn’t have a functional economy and it’s governed by people who continue to preach about some revolution that has been dead for 20 years that’s never worked,” Rubio said, without referring to any CIA operation.“We are hopeful that Cuba will choose a different path. We are hopeful … that there will be some people in there that open their eyes to the reality of what they’re facing,” he said. “We’re never going to allow Cuba to become a base of operation against American interests or pose a threat to our national security. On that we are abundantly clear.”
Talks continue as Washington tightens sanctions
Despite the increasingly tough rhetoric, US and Cuban officials have held meetings in recent months to explore ways to improve relations. Trump administration officials, including Rubio, have taken part in discussions with Cuban representatives.However, the US side has emerged dissatisfied with the talks, leading Washington to impose further sanctions on the Cuban government.Addressing the United Nations General Assembly last month, Trump said Rubio was “deep into negotiations with Cuba”. He added that he would “not allow a haven for foreign adversaries to threaten America on our own doorstep.”A few days later, Trump said he expected the two countries “will make a deal”, adding, “I don’t think we’ll need the military. Cuba is failing very badly.”The two countries also clashed at the United Nations earlier this week after the Trump administration sought to rally opposition to an annual resolution condemning Washington’s decades-old economic embargo against Havana.
Cuba faces a deepening economic crisis
Cuba has been struggling with a severe economic and energy crisis since 2020. Its economy has contracted, while its population of around 10 million has faced widespread power cuts, food shortages and rising prices.The crisis has also triggered repeated waves of public protests and a significant exodus of Cubans, with hundreds of thousands leaving the country, many heading to the United States.