President Donald Trump of the United States made a cryptic statement on Wednesday concerning Cuba, suggesting that "significant changes" are expected on the island within the next couple of months. However, he did not specify the nature of these potential developments.
The remarks were made during an exclusive interview with Trey Yingst, the chief correspondent of Fox News, at the White House. The interview was later shared by Yingst on the social media platform X.
"I'm looking at Cuba. Significant changes are coming to Cuba, maybe in the next two months, but I don't see it becoming another Venezuela," Trump stated.
When pressed about the possibility of military action against Cuba, Trump sidestepped a direct answer but did not entirely rule it out.
"Venezuela has vast oil reserves. We could do something similar with Cuba. It wouldn't be difficult for us," he responded.
Comparing Strategic Interests
Trump elaborated that Venezuela represents a more strategic target due to its abundant natural resources.
"Venezuela is much larger than Cuba, and it has gold—lots of gold. It has a lot of oil. It probably possesses some of the world's most valuable land in terms of gold and rubies," he noted.
Despite drawing these distinctions, Trump hinted that a similar approach might be considered for Cuba.
Growing Pressure on Havana
Trump's comments come amid increasing pressure from Washington on the Cuban regime, a campaign that began earlier this year.
On January 3, 2026, Trump announced the capture of Nicolás Maduro during Operation Absolute Resolution, an action that resulted in the deaths of 32 Cuban military personnel who were part of Maduro's security detail. Shortly after, Trump declared, "Cuba is ready to fall."
Since then, his administration has imposed over 240 sanctions against Cuba, sharply reduced the island's oil imports—impacting between 80% and 90% of its crude supplies—and maintained the deployment of the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier in the Caribbean as part of Operation Southern Spear, which commenced on May 20.
Potential Military Concerns
Recently, Trump intensified his rhetoric by warning of imminent action if it was confirmed that Cuba had acquired over 300 Iranian Shahed-136 drones since 2023, as suggested by U.S. intelligence.
The following day, an analysis in The Times suggested Trump is gearing up for a "final push" against Havana, a notion given more weight by his latest statements.
Response from the Cuban Regime
In the same interview, Trump also issued fresh threats against Iran, warning that Washington would target Iranian strategic infrastructure unless Tehran agrees to negotiate under Operation Epic Fury.
Meanwhile, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel maintains a confrontational stance against Washington. On July 2, he declared Cuba's readiness to "fight to the last drop of blood."
Despite these declarations, the Cuban government has only released 20 of the 51 political prisoners it promised to free, while human rights organizations report 1,281 individuals imprisoned for political reasons on the island.
The internal situation is further exacerbated by a severe energy crisis. On July 6, Cuba experienced its eighth nationwide blackout in 24 months, with power outages exceeding 35 hours in Havana and a generation shortfall of nearly 2,100 megawatts, worsened by reduced fuel supplies.
In this context, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on July 11 that the Cuban leadership still has a chance to undertake "real reforms" before it is "too late."
Key Questions About Cuba's Future
What changes did Trump imply could happen in Cuba?
Trump hinted at significant developments in Cuba over the next two months but did not specify what these changes might entail.
Is military action against Cuba a possibility?
While Trump did not confirm any military action, he did not dismiss the possibility when questioned about it.
How has the U.S. increased pressure on Cuba recently?
The U.S. has imposed over 240 sanctions, reduced oil imports to Cuba, and maintained a military presence in the Caribbean.