Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel attends a rally called by Cuban authorities to protest U.S. policies toward the island, including the indictment of the former president, in Havana, Cuba, on May 22, 2026. Norlys Perez/Reuters
President Donald Trump hinted at a new U.S. foreign intervention in Cuba, potentially with military force, as he addressed supporters at a midterm campaign rally in Florida on Oct. 23.
He made the comments about Cuba after touting investments in the U.S. military during his administration and in military operations this year in Venezuela and Cuba.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will tell you that we have the best equipment,” Trump said, before appearing to respond to comments about Cuba from someone in the crowd. “He wants to know ‘what about Cuba?’ Give me a break. Give me a break. Don’t worry. We'll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran.”
The president described possible new U.S. action toward Cuba as a “stopover” event for U.S. warships returning from deployments in the Middle East. The Middle East has been the scene of a pronounced and ongoing U.S. naval build-up, as the armed standoff with Iran nears the eight-month mark.
“Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We‘ll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They’ll raise up their hands, and then we’re going to send Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal,” he said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, followed up Trump’s rally remarks with an X post soliciting new Cuban contacts for the Central Intelligence Agency.
“To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time,” Rubio wrote. “The disappointment of failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of only a few; seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA.”
Trump and other members of his administration have previously hinted at ordering military action in Cuba. In the past year, his administration has also continued to ramp up diplomatic pressure against the communist-led Caribbean island nation.
In January, Trump signed an executive order authorizing
tariffsagainst countries that sell oil to Cuba.
The U.S. Department of Justice has also secured
criminal indictmentsagainst former Cuban officials. The U.S. State Department and the Treasury have announced multiple rounds of economic sanctions targeting Cuban
officials,state-run
enterprises, and state-linked vessels and financial networks.
“We reject any threats stemming from U.S. ambitions toward Cuba,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said in an X post following the comments from Trump and Rubio. “Our shores are lined with beautiful beaches, but they are also rugged and inhospitable to those who arrive with hostile intentions and a desire for domination.”
During his campaign rally on Friday, Trump also hinted at escalating military operations against Iran. He described the possible forthcoming military operations as a “little Epic Fury,” referencing the U.S. bombing campaign he ordered against Iran on Feb. 28.
“We may do another little Epic Fury, or they’ll agree,” Trump told his rallygoers. “If they’re smart, they’ll just say, ‘Let’s get down to business.’ But I doubt they’ll do that because perhaps they’re not smart.”
In a podcast episode earlier on Friday, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said new U.S. strikes on Iran could come over the weekend.
English (US) · 
Turkish (TR) · 