Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has declared that Cuba will be the next target of President Donald Trump's foreign policy, following joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran that have sparked a major regional conflict. Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Graham praised Trump as the 'gold standard' for Republicans on foreign policy, citing the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as evidence.
'Maduro? Everybody talked about him; well, Donald Trump's got him in jail!' Graham said. 'Cuba's next. They're gonna fall. This communist dictatorship in Cuba? Their days are numbered.' He also claimed that the Iranian regime is 'about to collapse' and that the Ayatollah is 'stone cold dead'.
The comments come days after the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, resulting in the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggering retaliatory attacks. Meanwhile, tensions between the US and Cuba have escalated, particularly after the capture of Maduro cut off vital fuel shipments from Venezuela. Cuba has warned allies it may not be able to refuel their planes, leading to halted flights from Canada and Russia.
One day before the Iran strikes, Trump told reporters the US was in talks with Havana, raising the possibility of a 'friendly takeover of Cuba'. He said Secretary of State Marco Rubio was discussing with Cuban leaders at a 'very high level' and that 'maybe we'll have a friendly takeover of Cuba'. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel responded by expressing willingness to engage in dialogue 'without pressure or preconditions'.
Last week, Cuba reported that a speedboat from Florida carrying 10 armed individuals had opened fire on soldiers off its coast, killing four and injuring six. Rubio said it was not a US operation. The status of US-Cuba talks remains unclear, though unconfirmed reports suggest discussions may be taking place in Mexico.
