Trump floats a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, says talks are under way with Havana
“Maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for Texas, adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is managing the contacts
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his administration is holding talks with Cuba and suggested the process could lead to a potential “friendly takeover” of the island, portraying Havana as facing acute economic and supply strains.
“Maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for Texas, adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is managing the contacts “at a very high level,” according to Reuters.
The remarks came amid heightened bilateral tensions after a maritime incident off Cuba earlier this week. Cuba’s government said a Florida-registered speedboat carrying 10 people sought to infiltrate the country and exchanged fire with Cuban forces; four were killed and six wounded, according to an Associated Press report.
Trump framed the moment as potentially involving economic bargaining and domestic political interests. He argued that a deal could be “very positive” for Cuban exiles in the United States who want to return to the island, a key constituency in Florida. Reuters reported that Trump emphasized Cuba “has no money” and is “in big trouble,” saying the country wants U.S. help.
In parallel, Washington has tightened energy-related pressure on Cuba. The White House published an executive order on Jan. 29 declaring a national emergency with respect to Cuba and authorizing trade measures tied to oil supplies from third countries, as part of what the administration frames as a national-security approach.
Havana has not publicly confirmed the scope of direct talks with the Trump administration. The speedboat episode and Trump’s comments add uncertainty over the near-term direction of U.S.-Cuba relations as Cuba faces fuel constraints and a prolonged economic downturn.
