JUST IN: Trump Announces US ‘Will Be Taking Over Cuba Almost Immediately’ After Iran War
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump declared on Friday that the United States will take control of Cuba “almost immediately,” signaling a dramatic expansion of U.S. military and political ambitions in the Western Hemisphere following the two-month war with Iran .
Speaking at an event in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said Cuba “has got problems” and indicated that the island nation would be the next target once U.S. operations in the Middle East conclude .
“Cuba, which we will be taking over almost immediately.”
— President Donald J. Trump
🛳️ ‘They’ll Say “Thank You Very Much, We Give Up”‘
Trump described a dramatic naval deployment that he claimed would force a Cuban surrender without a shot being fired.
“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 — we’ll have that come in, stop about 100 yards offshore, and they’ll say, ‘Thank you very much, we give up.'”
— President Donald J. Trump
The president added: “I like to finish a job” — a reference to the ongoing U.S. military campaign against Iran, for which a fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8 .
Trump’s remarks echo his earlier statements about Cuba. In March 2026, he told reporters: “I do believe I’ll have the honor of taking Cuba. … I can free it or take it. I think I can do anything I want with it” .
🏛️ Executive Order Expands Sanctions Regime
Alongside Trump’s verbal threats, the White House issued an executive order significantly broadening U.S. sanctions against the Cuban government and any foreign entities doing business with it .
The order targets:
- Individuals and entities supporting Cuba’s security apparatus
- Those complicit in corruption or serious human rights abuses
- Foreign persons operating in Cuba’s energy, defense, mining, financial services, and security sectors
- Any foreign financial institutions continuing to work with Cuban government entities
Critically, the order authorizes secondary sanctions — meaning non-U.S. companies can be cut off from the American financial system for conducting business with blacklisted Cuban entities .
Jeremy Paner, a former U.S. Treasury sanctions investigator, said the move was the most significant action against non-American companies since the U.S. embargo against Cuba began decades ago .
“Oil and gas, mining companies, and banks that have carefully segregated their Cuba operations from the United States are no longer protected.”
— Jeremy Paner, former Treasury official
🔥 ‘Cuba Is Next’: A Pattern of Regime Change
Trump’s Cuba threat follows a clear pattern in his second term: military intervention followed by regime change.
| Target | Action | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Venezuela | Military operation to seize President Maduro | January 3, 2026 |
| Iran | Joint U.S.-Israeli war (active conflict) | February 28 – present |
| Cuba | Announced takeover | May 1, 2026 |
Trump has repeatedly declared that Cuba is on the verge of collapse due to a crippling U.S. fuel blockade imposed after the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — Cuba’s primary oil supplier — on January 3 .
The White House justified the escalation by accusing Havana of providing a “permissive environment for hostile foreign intelligence, military, and terrorist operations less than 100 miles from the American homeland” .
🇨🇺 Cuba’s Response: ‘Collective Punishment’
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla swiftly condemned Trump’s remarks and the new sanctions .
“These actions demonstrate an intention to impose, once again, collective punishment on the Cuban people.”
— Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Cuban Foreign Minister
Rodríguez called the measures “unilateral coercive measures” that violate international law and insisted Cuba would not be intimidated .
In a powerful show of defiance, tens of thousands of Cubans marched to the U.S. embassy in Havana on Friday under the slogan “Defend the Homeland” for the traditional May Day celebrations . Officials claimed to have collected over six million signatures against U.S. policies in recent weeks .
🌍 International Reactions
Mexico, Spain, and Brazil — all governed by left-leaning administrations — issued a joint statement expressing concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Cuba and alarm at U.S. escalation .
The United Nations has previously warned that a humanitarian crisis could unfold in Cuba triggered by the U.S. oil embargo .
📋 Key Takeaways
| Aspect | Summary |
|---|---|
| Trump’s Announcement | U.S. will “take over Cuba almost immediately” after Iran war |
| Proposed Method | USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier positioned 100 yards offshore; claimed surrender |
| New Sanctions | Executive order expands sanctions to foreign companies in Cuba’s energy, defense, mining, finance sectors |
| Secondary Sanctions | Non-U.S. firms can be cut off from American financial system |
| Previous Remarks | In March, Trump said: “I can free it or take it. I think I can do anything I want with it” |
| Cuban Response | “Collective punishment” — rejects intimidation |
| Mass Mobilization | Tens of thousands marched in Havana on May Day |
| Previous U.S. Actions | Venezuela regime change (Jan 3); 60+ day Iran war |
| White House Justification | Cuba allegedly provides haven for hostile intelligence and terrorist operations |
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