The United States Embassy in Cuba issued a strong warning on Tuesday through its social media channels, quoting Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He accused the Cuban regime of allowing adversarial powers into the island to act against American national interests, and made it clear that the Trump administration will not stand for it.
"They have rolled out the red carpet for America's adversaries to operate within Cuban territory against our national interests with complete impunity," Rubio stated during a Fox News interview, which was later shared by the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana.
Rubio's message left no room for doubt: "We will not allow a foreign military or intelligence apparatus to operate with impunity just 90 miles off the U.S. coast. That will not happen under President Trump."
The statements were also disseminated on X by Jeremy Lewin, a senior State Department official, from his verified account bearing the department's official insignia.
Geopolitical Tensions at the Doorstep
Rubio highlighted the geographical proximity of the threat: Cuba is "literally 90 miles from Key West and just over 100 miles from Mar-a-Lago," making the island a strategic focal point for any power looking to monitor or challenge the United States.
The primary allegations target China and Russia. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has identified at least 12 Chinese signals intelligence sites in Cuba, located in Bejucal, El Salao, Calabazar, and El Wajay, with expansions confirmed by satellite imagery in 2024 and 2025.
Of particular concern is the El Salao site in Santiago de Cuba, situated just 70 miles from the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, capable of tracking signals from thousands of miles away.
Foreign Espionage Infrastructure on the Rise
New satellite images confirm the expansion of these intelligence facilities in recent years, representing a continuous modernization of foreign espionage infrastructure on Cuban soil.
Russia, on the other hand, maintains what Rubio termed its largest intelligence base outside its own territory in Cuba, and has recruited up to 20,000 Cubans to fight in Ukraine since 2022.
In February 2026, U.S. Air Force RC-135V Rivet Joint spy planes flew over the entire Cuban coast to monitor these foreign surveillance systems, clearly indicating Washington's vigilance over the island's activities.
Trump's Maximum Pressure Strategy
These warnings are part of Trump's intensified maximum pressure strategy against Cuba, which has been heightened since January 2026 with Executive Order 14380. This order declared Cuba an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to national security and imposed tariffs on countries supplying oil to the island.
Since then, the United States has implemented over 240 new sanctions against the Cuban regime and intercepted at least seven oil tankers headed to Cuba, which The New York Times described as the first effective energy blockade since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
On April 10, a bilateral meeting took place in Havana between officials from both countries, where Washington demanded the release of political prisoners and economic reforms, while the Cuban regime prioritized ending the energy blockade.
On April 13, Trump himself opened a dialogue by stating that "maybe we'll stop in Cuba" after resolving other issues, promising a "new dawn" for the island, although the conditions set by Washington remain unmet.
Key Questions on U.S.-Cuba Tensions
Why is the United States concerned about foreign operations in Cuba?
The United States is concerned because foreign military and intelligence operations in Cuba could pose a direct threat to U.S. national security, given the island's close proximity to the U.S. mainland.
What actions has the Trump administration taken against Cuba?
The Trump administration has issued Executive Order 14380, imposing tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba, implemented over 240 new sanctions, and intercepted oil shipments to the island.
Which countries are primarily accused of operating in Cuba against U.S. interests?
China and Russia are primarily accused of establishing intelligence operations in Cuba, potentially threatening U.S. national security interests.