Overview
- In a Thursday interview with Hugh Hewitt, President Trump said he wants to “get Cuba done” before his term ends in 2029 and that he would “certainly consider” a short military operation to topple the Cuban government.
- The comments follow a recent round of U.S. measures, including Treasury sanctions this month targeting Cuban oil tankers and related maritime actors that Washington says enable Havana’s global ties.
- Cuban officials and reporting link the stepped-up U.S. pressure to growing fuel shortages, repeated national blackouts, interrupted water pumping and shortages of food and medicine that are straining daily life.
- Policy analysts say a full U.S. military campaign is unlikely because of daunting legal, logistical and geopolitical obstacles, and they view continued economic and maritime pressure as the more probable course.
- The president’s language, including references to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, raises regional diplomatic risks and means observers should watch for tighter sanctions on third-party shippers and reactions from U.S. partners.