Donald Trump Signals Potential Military Action Against Cuba During Miami Investment Forum

U.S. President Donald Trump declared "Cuba is next" on March 27, 2026, during a speech at the FII Priority investment forum in Miami, signaling a potential escalation of U.S. pressure on the Caribbean island. Trump made the remark when asked whether recent American military actions risked costing him political support, and he framed the statement as an extension of what he described as a string of U.S. foreign policy victories. He cited the January 2026 capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the ongoing U.S.-Israel war against Iran as evidence of his administration's resolve. Trump did not specify what action he intended to take against Cuba, but he then told journalists to ignore the statement before repeating it a second time to laughter from the audience. The remarks followed comments Trump made in mid-March, when he said he expected to have "the honor of taking Cuba in some form," and earlier in the month, when he described a possible "friendly takeover" of the island — before adding: "It may not be a friendly takeover."

„I built this great Army. I said: 'You will never have to use it,' but sometimes you have to use it. And Cuba is next, by the way. But pretend I didn't say that.” — Donald Trump via Reuters

Oil blockade deepens Cuba's blackouts and food shortages Cuba is already under severe economic strain driven in large part by a de facto oil blockade that Washington imposed in January 2026, cutting off the island's access to crude oil imports. Cuba depends on oil to power its electricity plants and transportation network, and the blockade has caused recurring nationwide blackouts. According to France 24, the country was hit by two nationwide power outages in a single week, triggering pot-banging protests at night. The situation worsened after the capture of Nicolás Maduro, whose Venezuela had long been Cuba's primary oil supplier. With Maduro removed and a new government in Caracas operating under U.S. pressure, that supply line collapsed. Two sailboats from an international convoy carrying medical supplies, food, solar panels, and other goods bound for Cuba were also reported missing on March 27, according to RFI and BFMTV. The shortages of food, medicine, and basic goods that have long afflicted Cuba have intensified under these compounding pressures.

Cuba has been subject to a U.S. trade embargo since shortly after Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution. Relations between Havana and Washington thawed during the Obama administration and improved in subsequent years, but deteriorated sharply after Trump returned to the presidency for a second term. Trump has stated his intention to tighten Washington's grip over Latin America, a posture that has shaped U.S. policy toward both Cuba and Venezuela. The capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces on January 3, 2026, marked a dramatic escalation of that regional strategy.

Díaz-Canel vows resistance while holding talks with Washington Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has acknowledged that Havana is engaged in negotiations with Washington to prevent a military confrontation, even as he issued a defiant public posture. Díaz-Canel said last week that any external aggressor would face "unbreakable resistance," a statement reported consistently across multiple sources. A senior Cuban diplomat separately confirmed that Havana was willing to continue dialogue with Washington but ruled out any discussion of changes to Cuba's political system. The dual track of negotiations and defiance reflects the difficult position of the Cuban government, which faces mounting domestic pressure from blackouts and shortages while confronting an increasingly assertive U.S. administration. Trump, for his part, has repeatedly stated his belief that the Cuban government is on the brink of collapse, a framing he has used to justify continued pressure. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also been involved in discussions regarding the situation, according to the verification log, though the specific nature of his role in the Cuba talks was not detailed in the source articles.

Trump renaming Hormuz and mocking allies at Saudi-backed forum Trump's Cuba remarks were not the only notable moment from his Miami speech. He also referred to the Strait of Hormuz as the "Trump Strait," a renaming that drew attention alongside his Cuba threat. The forum itself was organized by the Future Investment Initiative and backed by Saudi Arabia, and Trump addressed the audience with remarks that included a jab at Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano. Trump told the audience that his MAGA movement wanted "strength" and "victory," and framed Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates as allies the United States was committed to protecting. The speech illustrated how Trump is using a series of high-profile foreign policy actions — from Venezuela to Iran to Cuba — to consolidate his domestic political standing while projecting U.S. power in the Western Hemisphere and beyond.

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