President Points to Military Successes in Venezuela and Iran as Precedent
US President Donald Trump has pointedly suggested that Cuba is the next target for potential American action, following what he touted as successful military interventions in Venezuela and Iran. Speaking at an investment forum in Miami on Friday, the president made the cryptic declaration, immediately walking it back with a telling quip.
“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 told the audience. He then added, “But pretend I didn’t say that. Pretend I didn’t.”
Economic Collapse and Secret Talks Set the Stage
The remarks come as Cuba grapples with a severe economic crisis, exacerbated by a critical shortage of oil. The Trump administration has long asserted that the communist government in Havana is on the verge of collapse. In recent weeks, US officials have opened negotiations with elements of the Cuban leadership in an attempt to avert a military confrontation, a move confirmed by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.
The island’s economic woes have deepened following the US-led operation in January that deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela had been Cuba’s primary oil supplier, but the new government in Caracas, under pressure from Washington, has halted those crucial shipments, crippling Cuban power generation and transportation.
From “Friendly Takeover” to Kinetic Action
Trump’s latest comments follow earlier ambiguous statements about the Caribbean nation. Earlier in March, he speculated that Cuba might be subject to a “friendly takeover,” before cautioning, “It may not be a friendly takeover.” This pattern of rhetoric, juxtaposed with back-channel diplomacy, highlights the administration’s dual-track approach of applying maximum pressure while exploring off-ramps.
The president’s speech framed potential action against Cuba as a continuation of a muscular foreign policy. “Cuba is next,” he stated, explicitly linking it to recent US campaigns. With the military option openly hinted at and economic pressure intensifying, the standoff with Havana enters a new and volatile phase.
