Trump at the UN: Marco Rubio Engaged in Ongoing Cuba Talks—"We'll See What Happens"

During his address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Donald Trump predicted the downfall of the Cuban regime. He confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is actively engaged in negotiations with Havana, though he refrained from disclosing any specific details or timelines.

"Marco Rubio is leading negotiations. He is deeply involved in discussions with Cuba. We'll see what happens," the president stated in his speech.

Trump characterized Cuba as a "completely failed state," asserting that the regime is "failing like never before and will collapse."

In response to Trump's remarks, the Cuban delegation, led by Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, exited the assembly hall in protest.

This marked the first occasion on which Trump made such significant statements about Cuba from the world's foremost multilateral platform, with Cuban representatives present.

"My administration is also pursuing a fundamental change in the situation in Cuba, where the communist regime is under immense pressure, greater than it has ever faced," Trump declared to the leaders gathered in New York.

He further accused the Cuban regime of having spent decades coordinating with "leftist radicals and communist networks" within the United States, citing connections with the Communist Party USA, Antifa, and the Democratic Socialists of America.

These assertions are based on a 100-page State Department report released on July 20, 2026, which accuses Cuba of nearly seven decades of espionage and subversion on American soil.

The president concluded his message about the island with a promise: "Communism will never come to the United States, but freedom will come to Cuba, and security and stability will come to Mexico."

These statements unfold at a high point of bilateral tension since the start of Trump's second term. Since January 2026, the administration has imposed numerous sanctions against Cuba, targeting financial, energy, mining, and military sectors, including two rounds in September alone.

In April 2026, reports suggested that a U.S. delegation, coordinated by Rubio, traveled to Havana with a set of demands, including the release of political prisoners. By May, Rubio himself acknowledged seeing "little progress" in the discussions.

The Cuban side has maintained an ambiguous stance. Rodríguez Parrilla admitted in early September that there are "talks with the State Department," yet he categorically denied the existence of formal negotiations or agreements.