US President Donald Trump said he wants to get Cuba done before leaving office in 2029 and would consider a short military operation. The comments come as Washington adds sanctions on Cuban oil tankers and shipping companies. Analysts see more economic pressure as the likelier path.
Trump put a timeline on Cuba in a Thursday interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, saying he wants to resolve the issue before he leaves office in 2029. He added that he would certainly consider military intervention against the communist-run island.
Trump calls Cuba a failed state
Trump said his administration was monitoring Havana very closely and described Cuba as a failed state. According to CNBC, he said: "I want to get Cuba done before I leave," and Politico reported it was the first time he has put a timeline on possible military intervention to topple Cuban authorities.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose parents are from Cuba, would love to do it, Trump said.
Sanctions target tankers and shippers
Meanwhile, the Treasury Department imposed further sanctions on Cuban oil tankers and shipping companies earlier this month. It also threatened to target any international entity or person doing business in the island's maritime industries.
Cuba's Embassy in Washington, D.C. said the steps deepen an energy siege that leaves hospitals without reliable power. The embassy also estimated that the US blockade cost Cuba $8 billion between March 2025 and February 2026.
Fuel shortages deepen
The island has suffered repeated nationwide blackouts in recent months, along with fuel and food shortages. In May, Cuban Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said the country of roughly 10 million had run out of fuel oil and diesel.
Trump has previously talked about a friendly takeover of Havana and said the White House could turn to Cuba after the Iran war. Analysts, however, have typically been skeptical of a US military campaign, suggesting that further economic pressure appears more likely.
Source: CNBC
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