Trump raises the potential for a ‘pleasant takeover of Cuba’ popping out of talks with Havana

U.S. President Donald Trump stated Friday (February 27, 2026) that the U.S. is in talks with Havana and raised the potential for a “pleasant takeover of Cuba” with out providing any particulars on what he meant.

Chatting with reporters outdoors the White Home as he left for a visit to Texas, Mr. Trump stated Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in discussions with Cuban leaders “at a really excessive degree.”

“The Cuban authorities is speaking with us,” the President stated. “They don’t have any cash. They don’t have any something proper now. However they’re speaking to us, and possibly we’ll have a pleasant takeover of Cuba.” He added: “We may very properly find yourself having a pleasant takeover of Cuba.” Mr. Trump did not make clear his feedback however appeared to point that the state of affairs with Cuba, a communist-run island that has been amongst Washington’s bitterest adversaries for many years, was coming to a crucial level. The White Home didn’t reply to requests for extra info Friday (February 27, 2026).

Learn | Cuba unveils new particulars in deadly U.S. boat taking pictures and says a second boat on mission failed

His remarks got here two days after the Cuban authorities reported {that a} Florida-registered speedboat carrying 10 armed Cubans from the U.S. opened hearth on troopers off the island’s north coast. 4 of the armed Cubans had been killed, and 6 had been injured in responding gunfire, in line with Cuba’s authorities. One Cuban official additionally was injured.

Cuba has been on Mr. Trump’s thoughts since no less than early January, after U.S. forces ousted one in every of Havana’s closest allies, Venezuelan’s socialist President Nicolás Maduro. Mr. Trump prompt within the aftermath of that raid that army motion in Cuba won’t be obligatory as a result of the island’s economic system was weak sufficient — significantly within the absence of oil shipments from Venezuela that stopped after Maduro was taken into custody — to quickly collapse by itself.

“We have had loads of years of coping with Cuba. I have been listening to about Cuba since I am a bit of boy. However they’re in massive hassle,” he stated Friday (February 27, 2026).

Then, noting the exile neighborhood from the island dwelling within the U.S., Mr. Trump stated there may very well be one thing coming that “I believe (is) very constructive for the those that had been expelled, or worse, from Cuba and reside right here.” He didn’t elaborate.

The U.S. has maintained a strict commerce embargo on Cuba since 1962, the yr after a failed, CIA-sponsored invasion of the island on the Bay of Pigs. Mr. Trump nonetheless indicated earlier this month talks with Cuban officers had been underway.

Cuba’s authorities confirmed earlier this week that it was speaking with U.S. officers following the taking pictures of the American boat. Mr. Rubio has stated the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety and Coast Guard are investigating what occurred.

An govt order that Mr. Trump signed in late January pledged to impose tariffs on nations offering oil to Cuba threatened to additional cripple a rustic already tormented by a deepening vitality disaster, although U.S. authorities have since indicated that oil from Venezuela may be bought to Cuban pursuits in some instances.

Carlos Fernández de Cossío, Cuba’s Deputy Overseas Minister, posted on social media Friday (February 27, 2026) that “the U.S. maintains its gas embargo in opposition to Cuba in full drive, and its affect as a type of collective punishment is unwavering.” “Nothing introduced in latest days adjustments this actuality,” he wrote on X. “The potential of conditional gross sales to the non-public sector already existed and doesn’t alleviate the affect on the Cuban inhabitants.” In the meantime, 40-plus U.S. civil society organizations despatched a letter to Congress on Friday (February 27, 2026) asking that it “press the Trump administration to reverse its aggressive coverage in the direction of Cuba” and saying that efforts to chop oil shipments to the Caribbean island would spark a humanitarian collapse.

Signees included the Alliance of Baptists, ActionAid USA and the Presbyterian Church.

“Insurance policies that intentionally impose starvation and mass hardship on hundreds of thousands of civilians represent a type of collective punishment, and as such are a grave violation of worldwide humanitarian regulation,” the letter reads.