During the "Shield of the Americas" summit held this Saturday at the Trump National Doral in Miami, former President Donald Trump disclosed that four out of the 12 attending heads of state personally requested him to "address the issue of Cuba." In response, he offered a concise, "I'll take care of it."
This revelation came amidst his address to leaders gathered for the event, which was organized by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to officially launch the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C). This military alliance, consisting of 17 nations, is dedicated to deploying lethal force against drug cartels.
"Many of you have come today and they say: 'I hope you can take care of Cuba because you've had problems with Cuba.' Right. I was surprised but, uh, four of you said actually, 'Could you do us a favor and take care of Cuba?' I'll take care of it, okay," Trump stated before the leaders in Miami.
The summit brought together 12 heads of state or government, including Javier Milei (Argentina), Nayib Bukele (El Salvador), Daniel Noboa (Ecuador), Luis Abinader (Dominican Republic), Santiago Peña (Paraguay), José Raúl Mulino (Panama), Rodrigo Chaves (Costa Rica), Nasry Juan “Tito” Asfura (Honduras), Rodrigo Paz (Bolivia), Mohamed Irfaan Ali (Guyana), Kamla Persad-Bissessar (Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister), and Chile's President-elect José Antonio Kast. Notably, Cuba was excluded from the event.
In his speech, Trump painted a dire picture of the Cuban regime, predicting its impending collapse. "Cuba is in its final moments," he declared, emphasizing the island's lack of money, oil, and Venezuelan support, while adding that planes landing in Cuba are unable to refuel for departure.
Furthermore, Trump asserted that the Cuban regime is already in talks with Washington. "They want to negotiate. And they are negotiating with Marco and myself and some others. And I would think a deal would be made very easily with Cuba," he stated, joking that Rubio could finalize the deal in a free hour after resolving the Iran conflict.
These comments were made a day after Trump told CNN that the Cuban regime is eager to reach an agreement. This stance is part of the maximum pressure strategy the Republican president has intensified since his return to power. On January 20, 2025, he reinstated Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism and declared a national emergency on January 29, citing Cuba's alignment with hostile countries, transnational terrorist groups, and malign actors like Russia and China.
Trump's argument that the regime is in its "final moments" also relies on the downfall of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. He reminded the summit that U.S. special forces captured Maduro on January 3, removing Havana's main energy and financial support for decades.
From Havana, Miguel Díaz-Canel reacted by labeling the summit as "small, reactionary, and neocolonial" in a message posted on X. Cuban-American congressman Carlos Giménez responded with the slogan "Make Cuba Great Again," asserting that the regime is nearing its end.
Key Questions About U.S. Involvement in Cuba
What did Trump reveal at the Shield of the Americas summit?
Trump revealed that four Latin American leaders requested him to address the issue of Cuba. He responded by saying he would take care of it.
Why is Cuba's regime considered to be in its "final moments" according to Trump?
Trump cited the lack of financial resources, oil, and Venezuelan support, along with the downfall of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, as reasons for the Cuban regime's impending collapse.
How did Cuba's leadership respond to the summit?
Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel criticized the summit, calling it "small, reactionary, and neocolonial," while Cuban-American congressman Carlos Giménez suggested the regime is approaching its end.