Trump floats ‘friendly takeover’ of Cuba

President Trump on Friday suggested the U.S. could carry out a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, as the president has used a fuel blockade to increase the pressure on the communist regime in Havana.

“The Cuban government is talking with us. They’re in a big deal of trouble, as you know. They have no money, no anything right now,” Trump told reporters. “Maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba. We could very well end up having a friendly takeover Cuba.”

Trump imposed a fuel blockade on the island in an executive order at the end of January in a push to collapse the regime, which relies heavily on energy and food imports.

The United Nations’ top official for Cuba warned on Wednesday that daily life on the island is “becoming fragile” with increased strains on healthcare, water services and food distribution.

U.S. officials reportedly met on Thursday with the grandson of 94-year-old former president Raul Castro, considered the de facto leader of the totalitarian regime, on the sidelines of a conference in the Caribbean attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

Castro’s grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, serves as his grandfather’s bodyguard and is believed to oversee Cuba’s armed forces’s conglomerate, known as GAESA, which controls much of the island’s economy. The Miami Herald reported that in 2024, GAESA had about $18 billion in assets and in unknown bank accounts. 

The Cuban government has instituted emergency measures to deal with the U.S. fuel quarantine and is said to have between six and seven weeks of fuel left before falling into a major blackout. 

Trump’s remarks come after a deadly confrontation Wednesday between the Cuban Coast Guard and a group of U.S. citizens, permanent residents and visa holders. At least four people aboard a boat were killed and others wounded, taken into custody and accused of “terrorism” against the island. 

Both governments have made statements seeming to cool tensions over the incident, emphasizing both sides are cooperating in clarifying what the Cuban government called “regrettable events.”

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

More International News

Trump floats ‘friendly takeover’ of Cuba

The big new controversy over the Epstein files, explained

Pentagon removes director of Joint Staff, sends him back to Navy role

GOP senators warn Justice Department to release all Epstein files mentioning ...

Democratic senator presses Noem on suspension of global entry, TSA PreCheck

‘I did nothing wrong’: Bill Clinton denies knowledge of Epstein abuse in ...

Rove: Trump made ‘key mistake’ during State of the Union

Democrat calls Noem meeting ‘heated and tense’ after call for impeachment

Democrats fume after Boebert leaks deposition photo of Hillary ...

Wesley Hunt points to Vance, Scott in defending missed votes

Boebert on Hillary Clinton deposition photo leak: ‘The Democrats were ...

Whitmer says US-Canada bridge Trump threatened to block ‘will open’

Trump administration urges Supreme Court to end temporary protections for ...

Live updates: Bill Clinton says he had ‘no idea’ of Epstein’s crimes ...

Senate Democrats demand tariff refunds begin ‘immediately’

Noem: DHS shutdown is affecting World Cup, America 250 preparations

Atlantic reporter says Crockett campaign ejected her from event 

Scouting America changing policies to maintain military support, Hegseth says

© The Hill