US President Donald Trump said Washington plans to “deal with” the Cuba issue on its way back from Iran, and then send Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalise the arrangements.
Trump said this on 23 October during a rally in Fort Myers, Florida, Reuters reports.
“We’ll take care of Cuba on the way back from Iran... Then we’ll send Marco Rubio there to finalise the deal,” Donald Trump said.
In late September, Trump expressed hope that the United States and Cuba could reach an agreement without the use of military force. At the same time, his administration had previously said it intended to bring about a change of Cuba’s communist government.
At the start of 2026, the United States tightened restrictions on oil supplies to Cuba. This worsened the island’s energy crisis, where power cuts have become more frequent due to fuel shortages and ageing infrastructure.
Washington has maintained a trade embargo on Cuba for more than 60 years. Pressure on Havana increased after US forces captured then Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on 3 January.
At the same time, the Cuban authorities say they are ready for talks. In September, Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez told the UN General Assembly that the country remained open to dialogue with Washington.
Context
The Trump administration has openly stated that its goal is to change Cuba’s government. At the beginning of the year, the United States imposed an oil blockade against Cuba, exacerbating the country’s fuel and electricity problems amid ageing infrastructure.
In a speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, 23 September, Trump called Cuba a failed state and said that “freedom will come” to the island. The Cuban delegation left the hall during his address.
Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said at the UN on Saturday, 26 September, that Havana would always be open to dialogue with the United States. He also stressed that Cuba was ready for trade and business relations with American companies, while condemning Washington’s trade embargo.
The United States has maintained an embargo against Cuba for more than 60 years, and the Trump administration has recently stepped up pressure on Havana.
The CIA recently set up a secret Cuba task force, the New York Times reports, citing sources. The group includes operatives who recruit and run spies, intelligence analysts, cyber-operations specialists, and experts in conducting covert influence operations.