Trump Says US Would ‘Take Over’ Cuba ‘Almost Immediately’ if Elected

In an address at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches in Florida on Friday, President Donald Trump made remarks suggesting the United States would “take over” Cuba, though the context indicated he was likely speaking in jest rather than outlining actual foreign policy plans.

During his speech, while recognizing attendees including former Representative Dan Mica, Trump said, “And he comes from, originally, a place called Cuba, which we will be taking over almost immediately.” The president then added, “Cuba’s got problems. We’ll finish one first. I like to finish a job.”

The impromptu comments came without prior policy announcements regarding Cuba, a Communist-ruled island nation located just 90 miles from Florida’s southern coast. U.S.-Cuba relations have fluctuated significantly over decades, with periods of diplomatic thawing and increased tensions.

Trump continued his hypothetical scenario with a reference to military power, suggesting that after dealing with Iran, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier could approach Cuba. “On the way back from Iran, we’ll have one of our big — maybe the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier — the biggest in the world,” Trump remarked. “We’ll have that come in, stop about 100 yards offshore, and they’ll say, ‘Thank you very much, we give up.'”

The president did not elaborate on these comments or clarify whether they represented genuine policy considerations or were simply impromptu remarks. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for clarification.

During Trump’s previous administration from 2017-2021, his Cuba policy largely reversed the diplomatic opening initiated by the Obama administration. Trump reinstated travel restrictions, tightened embargo regulations, and placed Cuba back on the state sponsors of terrorism list in January 2021, just before leaving office.

Cuba continues to face significant economic challenges, exacerbated by decades of U.S. sanctions and more recent pandemic-related disruptions to its tourism industry. The island has experienced severe shortages of food, medicine, and other essentials, along with power outages that have sparked rare public protests in recent years.

The current geopolitical landscape places Cuba in a complex position, maintaining close relations with Russia and China while its economy struggles under sanctions. Any suggestion of American military intervention, even in jest, touches on decades of complex and often tense history between the two nations dating back to the Cold War era.

The USS Abraham Lincoln, which Trump referenced, is indeed one of America’s Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, though not the largest in the world as claimed. The carrier has been deployed on numerous missions throughout its service history and represents a significant projection of American military power.

Trump’s remarks come as he addresses various foreign policy topics during his presidency, often using unscripted moments to make bold statements about international relations. His administration has taken strong stances on several fronts, particularly regarding Iran, which he mentioned in connection with his Cuba comments.

Foreign policy experts often note that off-the-cuff remarks by presidents can sometimes cause diplomatic ripples, even when delivered in what appears to be a lighthearted manner. The history of U.S.-Cuba relations remains particularly sensitive, given the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, which brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

The Forum Club of the Palm Beaches, where Trump made these remarks, is a non-partisan political and public affairs organization in Florida that regularly hosts speakers from across the political spectrum.