Trump says warships returning from Iran could stop off Cuba
At a Florida rally, the president talked about parking a ship 50 yards from Cuba's coast. Havana rejected "all threats."
President Donald Trump told a rally on Friday in Fort Myers, Florida, that U.S. warships heading home from the Middle East after the conflict with Iran could "do a little stopover" off Cuba. A question from the crowd prompted the remark.
As he laid it out, one ship would halt "about 50 yards off the coast," roughly 46 meters, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio would then go in "to close the deal." Trump later added that he does not think the military will be needed.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez answered on X that he rejects "all threats" over Washington's designs on the island. Rubio has written on social media that "now is the time" to act, and suggested that those who want change in Cuba turn to a "discreet partnership with the CIA."
For now, these are words at a campaign event, ten days before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. There are no reports of a deployment or of any change in naval orders.
Earlier this year, Trump said the United States would deal with Cuba once it was done with Iran, then dropped the subject for months. In May he said "it looks like I'll be the one that does it," referring to a possible intervention. The same month, Washington announced criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro.
The pressure is economic, too. His administration imposed sanctions on nine Cuban state companies in construction, mining and metals, and tightened restrictions on anyone doing business with state-run firms. The island has been in an economic and energy crisis since 2020, with blackouts, food shortages and inflation.
Mexico has already been caught in the middle of this standoff. In February, Trump claimed Mexico would stop shipping oil to Cuba after he asked it to. President Claudia Sheinbaum denied that account and announced humanitarian aid. Mexico maintains diplomatic relations with Havana.
