On Tuesday, President Donald Trump, speaking from the renovation site of the East Wing of the White House, expressed the possibility of reaching a diplomatic agreement with Cuba and vividly described the island's humanitarian crisis.
"In Cuba, they can't turn on the lights. They can't eat. We don't want to see that," Trump remarked.
These comments were made in response to journalists' questions regarding the potential for understanding with the Cuban regime, amidst an unprecedented escalation in relations between Washington and Havana.
When asked about a possible diplomatic accord, Trump stated, "With Cuba, I think so. Yes, I think so."
The President praised Cuban Americans, claiming to have secured 97% of their vote, and reaffirmed his commitment to act on their behalf: "They have family in Cuba. They have been treated very, very badly. We are going to fix that. It won't be hard for us to fix it."
When a journalist questioned whether he could achieve this without changing the regime, Trump responded ambiguously, "I don't know about regime change. I can do it, whether they change the regime or not. It's been a harsh regime. They've killed a lot of people, but it's a country that really needs help. They have nothing."
Trump's statements contrast with the more skeptical tone of his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who told Fox News last week, "We'll give them a chance. But I don't think it's going to happen. I don't think we can change Cuba's trajectory while these people are in charge."
Trump's comments come a day after Politico reported that the administration is considering military options against Cuba, ranging from targeted airstrikes to a ground invasion, following the failure of the economic pressure campaign.
The prior diplomatic context includes high-level movements: on May 14, CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Havana—the highest-level direct contact between the two countries on Cuban soil since 2016—and met with the Cuban Interior Minister and Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, Raúl Castro's grandson.
On May 12, Trump posted on Truth Social: "Cuba is asking for help, and we're going to talk!" Meanwhile, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez admitted that they have begun "a process of exchanges" with Washington.
In addition to diplomatic and military pressure, there is also judicial action: the Department of Justice is preparing a criminal indictment against 94-year-old Raúl Castro for the downing of Brothers to the Rescue planes on February 24, 1996, which killed four people.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel warned on Monday that a U.S. military aggression "would provoke a bloodbath with incalculable consequences," while Trump insists that resolving Cuba's situation "won't be difficult."
Understanding the U.S.-Cuba Relations Under Trump
What did Trump say about the humanitarian situation in Cuba?
Trump described the situation in Cuba as dire, stating that people cannot turn on the lights or eat and emphasized that this situation should not be tolerated.
Is there a possibility of a diplomatic agreement between the U.S. and Cuba?
Yes, Trump indicated that he believes a diplomatic agreement with Cuba is possible, despite the current tensions.
How did Cuban Americans influence Trump's stance on Cuba?
Trump claimed to have received 97% of the Cuban American vote and expressed his commitment to addressing their concerns regarding their family members in Cuba.