The remarks came at a Florida rally days before the midterms. Trump has previously said he does not expect to need the military.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – President Donald Trump on Friday revived the prospect of US intervention in Cuba, telling a campaign rally that American warships returning from the Iran war could stop just off the island’s coast. He said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would then “finish up the deal.”
Trump said one ship could stop about 50 yards from the coast and that people there would raise their hands. He spoke after a rallygoer shouted a question about Cuba, days before the midterm elections, in which voters have voiced concern about the Iran war’s effect on prices.
Moments after Trump spoke, Rubio posted that now is the time for Cubans seeking change to act, urging them to do so through a “discrete partnership with the CIA.” Rubio told reporters separately that Cuba has been a national security threat for years because of its ties to US adversaries. He said the administration wants a peaceful resolution but doubts one can be reached with Cuba’s current government, and that Cuba has no functioning economy. Cuban officials quickly rejected the remarks, BusinessToday reported.
Trump and Rubio have raised the possibility of intervention before. Last month Trump told the UN General Assembly that Rubio was deep into negotiations with Cuba, and days later he said he expected a deal and did not think the military would be needed. US officials have held talks with Cuban officials in recent months, but Washington has since imposed additional sanctions. Cuba has faced an economic and energy crisis since 2020, with blackouts, food shortages and inflation, and hundreds of thousands of Cubans have left the island.
This report draws on information from The Associated Press, ABC45 and CBC News.