Pentagon Accelerates Contingency Planning for Potential Military Intervention in Cuba

The Pentagon is quietly accelerating contingency planning for a potential military intervention in Cuba, according to a USA Today report published Wednesday citing two anonymous sources familiar with the matter. The sources confirmed that the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Southern Command received instructions to prepare operational scenarios in the event that President Donald Trump orders an intervention on the island. The Pentagon, in a statement sent to USA Today, confirmed only that it "remains prepared to execute the president's orders as directed" and that it plans for various contingencies. A spokesperson for Southern Command, however, told The Independent that he did not "know anything about" plans involving Cuba, pointing instead to a March congressional testimony by General Francis Donovan, the head of Southern Command, who denied the United States was actively rehearsing or planning for a takeover. The planning, described as discrete and confidential, marks a notable departure from the approach Trump took before the Iran offensive, when troop and ship movements were announced publicly.

Trump's rhetoric sharpens as oil blockade squeezes Havana Trump has made no formal announcement of an operation, but has repeatedly and openly suggested Cuba could be a military target. In March, he told reporters he believed he would have "the honor of taking Cuba," and added that he "can do anything I want with it." On Monday, April 14, he told reporters, "We may stop by Cuba after we're finished with this," referring to the ongoing Iran conflict. The Trump administration restricted oil shipments to Cuba in January 2026 as part of a broader campaign to force political changes on the island, triggering fuel shortages, widespread power outages, and an economic crisis, according to reporting by ČT24 and The Independent. The administration has also imposed steep tariffs on Cuba and seized multiple oil tankers bound for the country, further deepening the energy crisis. At the same time, U.S. authorities recently permitted deliveries of Russian crude oil by Russian tankers, according to wnp.pl. Separately, USA Today reported that the Trump administration is also preparing a potential economic agreement with Cuba that could be announced soon, with discussions reportedly covering topics including an exit from power for President Miguel Díaz-Canel, the Castro family remaining on the island, and agreements on ports, energy, and tourism.

„Whether I liberate it or take it over, I think I can do whatever I want with it.” — Donald Trump via USA Today

U.S.-Cuba relations have been strained since the 1959 revolution, when Fidel Castro took power and aligned the country with the Soviet bloc. The only direct U.S. attempt to overthrow the Cuban government was the Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961, when a CIA-backed exile group known as Brigade 2506 attempted a landing but was defeated within three days. Diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana remained frozen for decades, with a partial thaw under the Obama administration, before tensions escalated again under Trump's first term and subsequent administrations.

Díaz-Canel vows resistance as Russia pledges full support Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has responded to the escalating pressure with repeated declarations of defiance. In an interview with Newsweek, he stated that Cuba would fight and defend itself against any aggression. During his first interview on American television, on NBC News, Díaz-Canel told the network that Trump's aggression toward Cuba was unjustified and that a conflict would be costly.

„If that happens, there will be fighting, and there will be a struggle, and we will defend ourselves, and if we need to die, we'll die.” — Miguel Díaz-Canel via NBC News

In January, Díaz-Canel wrote on X that "Cuba is a free, independent and sovereign nation" and that his government was "ready to defend the homeland to the last drop of blood." Russia has moved to reinforce its ties with Havana amid the pressure campaign. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov declared full economic support for Cuba during a visit to Havana, stating that the United States is "obsessed" with Russia's close relations with Cuba, which the Kremlin "supports 100 percent," according to wnp.pl. Additional regional context has been provided by an earlier U.S. operation in Venezuela, during which, according to reporting by Lidovky.cz and Rzeczpospolita, U.S. forces neutralized President Nicolás Maduro's security detail — which reportedly included Cuban personnel — in a lightning operation in Caracas in early January.

Starmer rules out UK involvement as Iran ceasefire talks continue The Cuba planning emerges against a broader backdrop of U.S. military engagement across multiple fronts. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday explicitly rejected the possibility of the United Kingdom joining the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, stating that the conflict was "not our war" and that joining it was "not in our national interest." Starmer acknowledged that "huge pressure" had been exerted on him to take a different course but said he would not change his mind. On the Iran front itself, representatives of the United States and Iran agreed to another round of talks on ending the war, though no date or place for the meeting had been set as of Wednesday, according to the Wall Street Journal as cited by FAKT24.pl. Negotiators are working to resolve the conflict before the clock runs out on a two-week ceasefire. Trump has ordered military operations in multiple countries during his second term, including Iran, Venezuela, Ecuador, Nigeria, and Somalia, according to The Independent. A CNN survey released earlier this month found that 64 (percent) — Americans disapproving of Trump's foreign affairs handling, with just 36 percent expressing approval.