US President Donald Trump views Cuba as his next foreign policy target, immediately following the recent strikes on Iran. This was reported by The Atlantic, citing sources within the US administration.
According to the publication, Trump is “feeling on the upswing” after military operations against Iran and Venezuela. Now, according to an official close to the White House, the president’s attention is turning to Havana. Trump allegedly sees himself as the first American leader with the resolve to “finish what others have only begun.”
Trump himself openly discussed the possibility of a “friendly takeover” of Cuba last week. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he said: “They have no money, no oil, no nothing… But they’re talking to us. Maybe we can have a friendly takeover of Cuba. We could very well get to a friendly takeover of Cuba.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to Trump, is already holding “very high-level talks” with Cuban authorities. Unofficial contacts with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of Raúl Castro, are also mentioned.
The Trump administration is increasing pressure on the Cuban regime: a strict “energy quarantine” has been in effect since January 2026, prohibiting oil supplies to the island, which has led to a severe fuel crisis. Trump has repeatedly emphasized that the post-Castro regime is in a state of profound economic collapse and will “fall apart on its own.”
Experts note that the White House’s rhetoric and actions fit into a broader strategy to weaken the influence of Russia, China, and Iran in the Western Hemisphere. Cuba is traditionally considered one of the last strongholds of leftist anti-Americanism in Latin America.