President Donald Trump on Friday raised the possibility of a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, stating that the U.S. Is in talks with Havana as the island nation faces deepening economic hardship. The remarks came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reportedly engaged in high-level discussions with Cuban officials, according to Trump.
“They have no money, they have no anything… but they’re talking to us,” Trump told reporters before departing on a trip to Texas, as reported by the Associated Press. “Maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba. We could remarkably well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba.”
The President’s comments follow weeks of increased pressure on Cuba, exacerbated by the disruption of Venezuelan oil shipments following the U.S.-backed capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The Trump administration has sought to leverage Cuba’s resulting fuel crisis, according to a report by USA Today.
Details of the negotiations remain scarce. However, reports indicate that Rubio has been in contact with Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of former Cuban leader Raul Castro. The meeting, which took place Wednesday in St. Kitts and Nevis during a CARICOM summit, was first reported by the Miami Herald and Axios. Rodriguez Castro does not hold an official government position but is considered an influential figure within Cuba.
The White House has not responded to requests for further information regarding the discussions. Trump characterized Cuba as “a nation in deep trouble” and stated they “want our help.”
These statements arrive days after the Cuban government announced a shootout off its northern coast involving a Florida-registered boat carrying ten armed Cubans originating from the United States. Cuban authorities reported four fatalities and six injuries among the group, as well as one injury to a Cuban official. The incident prompted contact between U.S. And Cuban authorities, with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard investigating, according to Rubio.
Following the capture of Maduro, Trump suggested a military intervention in Cuba might not be necessary, implying the island’s economic vulnerability – particularly the loss of Venezuelan oil – could lead to its collapse. The U.S. Has maintained a strict trade embargo against Cuba since 1962.
In a separate development, Washington this week allowed Venezuelan oil to be resold to Cuba’s private sector, with the stipulation that proceeds do not benefit the Cuban government. Cuban Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernandez de Cossio initially criticized the move on social media, stating the U.S. Embargo on fuel remained in effect and its impact on the Cuban population was unchanged, though the post was later removed.
Meanwhile, over 40 U.S. Civil society organizations have sent a letter to Congress urging the administration to reverse its aggressive policies toward Cuba, arguing that further restrictions on fuel deliveries could trigger a humanitarian crisis. The letter, signed by groups including the Alliance of Baptists, ActionAid USA, and the Presbyterian Church, asserts that deliberately imposing hunger and widespread suffering on civilians constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law.
