'Friendly' takeover: Trump makes unexpected statement on Cuba
Photo: Donald Trump, President of the United States (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump suggested the possibility of a "friendly" takeover of Cuba, saying the country "has nothing today," according to Trump’s remarks to journalists.
Read also: US-Cuba tensions escalate as State Department accuses Havana of intimidation
Trump said the Cuban government was in talks with the United States and was facing serious economic difficulties, claiming the country had no money and "nothing today." He suggested that a "friendly" takeover of Cuba could be possible.
He did not provide details about what such a takeover would involve but said the United States could help people who had left Cuba.
Trump added that the US has dealt with Cuba for many years and that he had heard about the country since childhood, saying Washington could do something positive for people who were exiled from Cuba or forced to leave and now live in the United States.
US-Cuba relations
Relations between the United States and Cuba escalated in early 2026, when Trump approved a memorandum tightening sanctions against the island.
Cuba was again placed on the list of state sponsors of terrorism, and strict limits on financial transactions with Cuban companies were reinstated. Authorities in Havana said they were not engaged in negotiations with Washington.
Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel strongly rejected Trump’s calls for a deal, stressing that external pressure is unacceptable for his country.
On January 30, Trump declared a national emergency over what he described as a national security threat from Cuba, while Havana responded that US policy remains the main threat to peace, security, and stability in the region.
