President Donald Trump on Tuesday declared he will be speaking with Cuba shortly, expressing frustration over the lack of communication within the Republican Party on the matter. 'No Republican has ever spoken to me about Cuba, which is a failed country and only heading in one direction - down! Cuba is asking for help, and we are going to talk!!!' he wrote on Truth Social.
Trump's post follows a Monday report detailing his annoyance with the current Cuban government clinging to power despite US efforts, including sanctions. The Pentagon has reportedly been developing plans for a possible military strike against the republic, anticipating a presidential order, according to NBC.
Trump squarely blamed Republicans in his Truth Social post, while GOP members like Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed concerns about another military engagement, citing preoccupation with the war in Iran. 'I think right now we're focused on where we are, and that is trying to get the Strait of Hormuz opened up,' Thune said.
GOP leaders are pressing Trump to prioritize the Iran crisis and the Strait of Hormuz, as stalled cargo traffic has driven up global energy costs, pushing US fuel prices higher. National averages have climbed sharply, with regular gasoline now above $4 per gallon.
Thune expressed a desire for Cuba's socialist regime to fail but argued the transition should occur naturally. The island nation faces continuous nationwide blackouts and an unprecedented economic crisis, worsened by a US oil blockade. The Trump administration called the Cuban government an 'unusual and extraordinary threat' to the US.
'I'd love to see regime change, we all would, in Cuba,' Thune said. 'Maybe that happens just by force of events. I think things are happening around the world putting more pressure on a lot of these dictatorial-type governments. Maybe there's something there that will happen organically.'
Senator James Lankford rejected the idea of armed conflict, urging the administration to rely on toughened sanctions. 'No, I would not,' Lankford said regarding support for a military operation. The Oklahoma Republican argued for financial leverage, noting, 'There's a lot of economic pressure you can put on Cuba that makes a big difference by itself.'
Trump said earlier this month that he plans to take over Cuba 'almost immediately' after 'finishing the job' in Iran. 'Cuba's got problems. We'll finish one first. I like to finish the job,' Trump declared at a Palm Beach event.
The island is grappling with continuous nationwide blackouts and an unprecedented economic crisis, exacerbated by the US oil blockade following the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Trump described a hypothetical scenario where a US aircraft carrier would stop just outside Cuban waters while returning from the Middle East.
'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 said. 'We'll have that come in, stop about 100 yards offshore, and they'll say, 'Thank you very much, we give up.''
Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have been outspoken about wanting regime change in Cuba. In January, Rubio testified before Congress, saying, 'I think we would love to see the regime there change.' Trump doubled down in March, stating he wants 'the honor of taking Cuba,' adding, 'Whether I free it, take it, I think I can do anything I want with it.'
Since the administration's capture of Maduro, Trump and his team have openly floated Cuba as the next target, though there was little sign of a US military operation until Rubio posed for a photo with Cuba prominently displayed on a map alongside SOUTHCOM commander General Donovan. The administration hopes Cuba's dire financial situation, worsened by the loss of free Venezuelan oil, will trigger a leadership collapse.
