U.S. President Donald Trump factors a finger and U.S. Vice President JD Vance laughs within the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington, D.C., U.S., on March 16, 2026.
| Picture Credit score: Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric towards Cuba on Monday (March 16, 2026), saying he anticipated to have the “honor” of “taking Cuba in some kind” and that “I can do something I need” with the neighbouring nation.
The threatening statements come whilst Cuba and the US have opened talks aimed toward enhancing their largely hostile relations, which have reached one of their most contentious moments within the 67 years since Fidel Castro overthrew what had been a detailed U.S. ally.
“I do imagine I’ll be … having the honor of taking Cuba. That’s a giant honor. Taking Cuba in some kind,” Mr. Trump informed reporters because the island faces an unprecedented financial disaster, exacerbated by an oil blockade the U.S. imposed after capturing former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“I imply, whether or not I free it, take it. Suppose I can do something I need with it. You need to know the reality,” Mr. Trump informed reporters at a signing occasion within the Oval Workplace.
After Mr. Trump spoke, the New York Instances reported that eradicating Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel from workplace is a key U.S. goal within the bilateral talks. Citing 4 individuals aware of the talks, the Instances mentioned the Individuals have signaled to Cuban negotiators that Diaz-Canel should go however are leaving the following steps as much as the Cubans.
Cuba has historically rejected any interference in its inside affairs and has thought-about any proposals on that entrance a deal-breaker for any settlement.
Diaz-Canel, 65, who succeeded the late Fidel Castro and his brother Raul Castro as president in 2018, mentioned on Friday he anticipated talks with the US to happen “below the rules of equality and respect for the political techniques of each international locations, sovereignty and self-determination.”
However Mr. Trump, after eradicating Maduro from energy and becoming a member of Israel in attacking Iran, has overtly mused that Cuba can be “subsequent.” He stepped up strain by halting all Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba and threatening to slap tariffs on any nation that sells oil to Cuba.
In consequence, Cuba says it has not obtained an oil cargo in three months and the nation has imposed extreme power rationing, leading to prolonged energy outages. A lot of its financial system has floor to a halt. On Monday Cuba’s electrical grid collapsed, leaving the nation of 10 million individuals with out energy.
On Sunday, Mr. Trump informed reporters aboard Air Power One, ‘”We’re speaking to Cuba, however we’re going to do Iran earlier than Cuba.”
Whereas greater than a dozen U.S. Presidents courting again many years have opposed Cuba’s Communist authorities and criticized its human rights file, Washington has honored its pledge to not invade Cuba or assist an invasion as a part of the settlement with the Soviet Union to resolve the Cuban missile disaster of 1962.
The White Home has but to element the authorized foundation for any doable intervention in Cuba.
The Cuban authorities didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Printed – March 17, 2026 05:44 am IST
