President Donald Trump told attendees at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) summit in Miami on Friday that Cuba would be the next U.S. target following ongoing military operations against Iran, then quickly added, “Please pretend I didn’t say that.”
Trump Sets Sights on Cuba
“Cuba’s next,” Trump said, before pivoting to domestic politics. “Despite the radical left Democrat shutdown, we will continue to defend the sovereign borders,” he added.
The remarks follow Trump’s earlier suggestion of a “friendly takeover” of the island nation located in the Caribbean.
In January, the U.S. president signed an executive order targeting tariffs on any country supplying Cuba with oil, framing it as part of a broader campaign of pressure against Havana.
Trump had previously also suggested he could “take” Cuba “in some form,” calling it “a big honor.” The remark prompted Russia to reaffirm its support for Havana and condemn what it described as blatant interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.
Trump also used the Miami platform to tout U.S. military gains in Iran and the January capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, signaling Cuba could be next in Washington’s regional offensive.
Rubio Confirms Trump Administration’s Stance
Also on Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the administration’s stance on Cuba after meeting with G7 counterparts in France. When asked directly if the U.S. still aimed for regime change, Rubio replied simply, “Yes.”
Rubio also elaborated that Cuba’s economic and political systems are inseparable. “Who’s going to invest billions of dollars in a communist country?” he said. “Economic change is important… but they come hand in hand.”
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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