In a recent phone interview with Salem News Channel, former President Donald Trump reiterated his warning to deploy the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier near Cuba's shores. However, he emphasized that any potential action regarding the island would hinge on resolving the ongoing conflict with Iran.
"We'd position the Abraham Lincoln—by far the most impressive carrier I've seen—just a few hundred yards off the coast and watch their response," Trump asserted. He described Cuba as a nation "utterly devastated at the moment" and expressed that "it would be an honor to liberate it."
Trump justified his stance by citing the support he received from the Cuban-American community: "I secured 94% of the Cuban vote in the United States, and frankly, I have an obligation to act."
Verified surveys from November 2024 place his support at approximately 70% among Cuban-American voters in Florida, a significant milestone for a Republican candidate, although Trump has repeatedly claimed the 94% figure.
As for priorities, Trump was clear: "I don't talk much about Cuba, except to say that perhaps, after finishing with Iran, we might do something, one after the other."
This isn't the first time in recent days that Trump has issued such specific threats. Last Friday, he declared that the United States would "take Cuba almost immediately" after concluding operations in Iran, painting a similar scenario of the carrier positioned 100 yards from the coast during a private dinner at the Forum Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is currently stationed in the Northern Arabian Sea as part of Operation Epic Fury—a joint U.S.-Israel military campaign targeting Iran's military infrastructure, initiated on February 28, 2026.
These threats occur amid a period of escalating tensions. On May 1, Trump signed a new executive order that expands and tightens sanctions against the Cuban regime, targeting energy, defense, mining, and financial services sectors, with asset freezes for officials and secondary sanctions for foreign banks interacting with sanctioned Cuban entities.
Since January 2026, the Trump administration has imposed over 240 sanctions on Cuba and intercepted at least seven oil tankers destined for the island, reducing energy imports by 80% to 90% and causing blackouts lasting up to 25 hours a day in more than 55% of Cuban territory.
The Cuban regime responded with defiant rhetoric. On Sunday, Díaz-Canel warned delegates from 36 countries about "the imminence of a military aggression" by the United States, invoked the "War of All the People" doctrine, and declared that "every Cuban has a rifle" and a designated defense position.
Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla labeled Trump's words as "a new clear and direct military threat" and asserted that "Cubans will not be intimidated."
Analyst Rubén Cortés cautioned that the situation might be more complex than it appears: "We don't know what Iran has introduced into Cuba, and that might make intervention not as straightforward."
Trump concluded his remarks by drawing a parallel between Cuba and Iran: "What’s been done to the Cubans and their families living in the United States is unthinkable, very similar to what’s happening with Iran."
Key Questions on U.S.-Cuba Tensions
What actions has Trump threatened against Cuba?
Trump has threatened to deploy the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier near the Cuban coast, contingent on resolving the conflict with Iran.
How has Cuba responded to Trump's threats?
Cuba has responded with defiant rhetoric, warning of a potential military aggression by the U.S. and invoking national defense strategies.
What is Operation Epic Fury?
Operation Epic Fury is a joint U.S.-Israel military campaign targeting Iran's military infrastructure, with the USS Abraham Lincoln currently stationed in the Northern Arabian Sea.