Trump Island: Exploring the Controversial Project Linking the Cuban Regime with UAE and Donald Trump

An unexpected proposal from a United Arab Emirates businessman to develop a luxurious tourist resort on Cayo Santa María, potentially named "Trump Island," has reignited debate. The idea resurfaced when Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío told the New York Times that the regime wouldn't exclude Donald Trump or his organization from doing business in Cuba.

While the initiative remains a private endeavor without confirmed involvement from the Trump Organization, recent events raise questions that presently lack clear answers.

A Private Venture Without Trump's Involvement

The story originated in a report by Emirati newspaper The National in June, revealing that entrepreneur Ali Abdullah Bin Haidar, head of the Abdulla Ali Bin Haidar Group, had signed a letter of intent with the Cuban government to develop a massive tourist resort on Cayo Santa María. The resort might be called "Trump Island" if the Trump Organization agreed to participate. However, no such participation exists, and no authorization for the Trump name or commercial agreement with Trump's company has been granted. The name appears simply as a potential option in the proposal made by the Emirati developer.

The Cuban Regime's Response

The narrative took a turn when the New York Times questioned Carlos Fernández de Cossío about these reports. He stated that the Cuban government wasn't considering such a specific project, yet left open the possibility of an eventual investment by Trump. "If he wishes to do it peacefully, we see no specific reason to exclude him," he remarked. He further noted that the real impediment was U.S. legislation, not Cuba. "It is the U.S. laws preventing Donald Trump from investing in Cuba, not us," he declared, emphasizing that Trump and his organization are welcome to conduct business in Cuba if they respect Cuban laws. This statement is one of the clearest indications so far by the regime about the potential for Trump or his company to invest on the island.

Why the UAE?

Beyond the project itself, the involvement of the UAE raises questions. The initiative didn't come from the usual Spanish, Canadian, or European hotel investors but from a UAE entrepreneur. The National, an Emirati outlet, was the first to report the story. This same outlet had recently interviewed Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo," Raúl Castro's grandson and an influential figure in Cuba's power circles. Rodríguez Castro, along with Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment Carlos Méndez, visited the UAE to explore economic opportunities and attract foreign capital. Although there's no public evidence linking this visit to the Cayo Santa María project, the timing and thematic overlap are notable.

Previous Contacts with Trump

This sequence of events coincides with another episode reported months earlier. Various media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, suggested that Rodríguez Castro attempted to deliver a letter directly to President Trump through unofficial channels. According to these reports, the emissary was intercepted at Miami airport and sent back to Cuba. The letter allegedly addressed potential economic agreements and investments. Although Havana never confirmed these claims, they fueled speculation about the Cuban power circle's attempt to establish direct communication with Trump outside traditional diplomatic channels.

A Complex Narrative

Individually, each of these events can be explained separately. A UAE businessman proposes a significant tourism project. The Cuban regime, desperate for foreign investment amid its worst economic crisis in decades, seeks to placate Trump, who has made numerous inflammatory statements about Cuba. Fernández de Cossío indicates Trump wouldn't be barred as an investor. Meanwhile, various reports suggest "El Cangrejo" is trying to open a communication channel with Trump. "I can negotiate with anyone designated by the U.S. If given the chance, certainly with Trump," he stated in his first interview with a U.S. media outlet, USA Today. However, when viewed collectively, these events form a sequence warranting attention.

Why did the proposal originate specifically in the UAE, where major developers have long-standing business ties with the Trump Organization? Why did The National transition from interviewing a key figure in Raúl Castro's circle to publishing an exclusive on a project seemingly designed to entice Trump's company? Was "Trump Island" merely a business initiative by a Dubai entrepreneur spotting an opportunity in Cuba? Or did it coincide with a time when various regime actors were exploring avenues to directly approach the U.S. president with economic incentives?

Current public information doesn't definitively answer these questions. Nonetheless, it also doesn't rule them out. So far, it is evident that an Emirati businessman proposed a resort project aimed at attracting the Trump Organization, a high-ranking Cuban official publicly stated Trump would be welcome as an investor, and parallel reports emerged of attempts by the true power center in Cuba to establish direct dialogue with the U.S. president.

Perhaps this is merely a series of coincidences. Or maybe, over time, new developments will shed light on an episode that, in hindsight, appears far more intricate than a simple tale of a resort tentatively named "Trump Island."