President Donald Trump made cryptic remarks about Cuba during a Friday address at a Miami investment conference, suggesting the island nation could be targeted for U.S. action following recent military operations in Venezuela and Iran.
Speaking to attendees, Trump declared that Cuba would be the next focus, though he remained vague about his administration’s specific intentions for the Caribbean country.
“I built this great military. I said, ‘You’ll never have to use it.’ But sometimes you have to use it. And Cuba is next by the way,” Trump stated during his Friday remarks.
“But pretend I didn’t say that. Pretend I didn’t.”
The president has previously expressed his belief that Havana’s government is nearing collapse due to a devastating economic downturn. Trump’s administration has recently begun diplomatic discussions with certain Cuban officials, though the president has also suggested that military intervention remains a possibility.
Cuba’s leader Miguel Diaz-Canel has confirmed that his country is engaged in discussions with Washington aimed at preventing potential military conflict. The island nation’s economy has suffered severely from disrupted oil supplies, which are essential for powering electrical grids and transportation systems.
Before U.S. forces successfully removed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from power in January, Venezuela had been Cuba’s primary oil supplier. However, the new Venezuelan administration has ceased these shipments under pressure from Washington.
In earlier March comments, Trump suggested Cuba might face a “friendly takeover,” before adding: “It may not be a friendly takeover.”
