Trump escalates threats to Cuba after Maduro ouster, vows ‘zero’ Venezuelan oil and money
After the ouster of Nicolás Maduro, President Trump escalated threats toward Cuba on social media — declaring "THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA — ZERO!" and urging Havana to "make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE," while amplifying a post suggesting Sen. Marco Rubio would be "president of Cuba." The warnings come as U.S. forces seize Venezuelan oil tankers and the White House courts oil executives to redirect Venezuelan supplies to U.S. firms — cutting off Cuba’s main oil lifeline — and Cuba says 32 of its personnel were killed in the operation and that U.S. sanctions inflicted roughly $7.5 billion in losses between March 2024 and February 2025.
📌 Key Facts
- President Trump posted an ultimatum to Cuba on social media saying there will be "no more oil or money going to Cuba — zero" and urging Havana to "make a deal, before it is too late," without specifying terms.
- U.S. forces are seizing Venezuelan oil tankers to control production, refining and global distribution, further cutting off Cuba's main external oil lifeline; Venezuela has been Cuba's largest oil supplier.
- Trump hosted U.S. and international oil executives at the White House, pledged to put U.S. firms "back to the forefront" of Venezuelan oil production and exports, and said he had secured oil shipments to the U.S. after Maduro's capture.
- Cuba's government says 32 of its military and security personnel were killed in the U.S. operation that captured Nicolás Maduro in Caracas; it says those personnel were present under a Cuba–Venezuela security agreement.
- Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel responded on X, accusing Washington of lacking moral authority, defending Cuba's political model, and blaming U.S. sanctions for more than $7.5 billion in economic losses between March 2024 and February 2025.
- Trump amplified a social‑media post predicting Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be "president of Cuba," replying, "Sounds good to me!"
📊 Relevant Data
Cuba's population fell below 10 million in 2024, with independent experts estimating a more pronounced decline driven by the exodus of over 1 million people since 2021, primarily working-age individuals, leading to an aging population.
Cuba faces population decline and aging amid mass migration exodus — Le Monde
In a 2024 poll, 68% of likely Cuban American voters in Miami-Dade County supported Donald Trump, marking the highest recorded support for him among this group, with Cuban Americans comprising about 1.8 million residents in Florida, the largest Hispanic group there.
FIU Cuba Poll 2024: Cuban American voters' support for Trump at an all-time high — Florida International University
The Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 allows Cubans who reach US soil to apply for permanent residency after one year, a policy that has facilitated the legal status of over 1.3 million Cuban immigrants in the US as of 2023, contributing to ongoing migration waves.
Cuban Immigrants in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
Cuba's economy is projected to contract further in 2026 due to the Venezuelan oil cutoff, with experts warning of widespread social unrest and potential mass migration, as the country already faces a deficit of 50,000 to 70,000 barrels per day in 2025, exacerbating blackouts and food shortages.
Trump Is Convinced That Without Venezuelan Oil the Cuban Regime Will Fall on Its Own — Translating Cuba
Between 2021 and 2025, over 850,000 Cubans have migrated to the US, with recent waves including a higher proportion of Black Cubans, who historically faced barriers to migration, amid a total emigration of over 1 million contributing to Cuba's population decline.
Over 850,000 People Have Left Cuba for the United States in the Last Three Years, a New Record — Latin Times
Cuba's economic crisis, driving migration, stems from centralized planning leading to underdeveloped markets, misaligned prices, and inefficiencies, compounded by the decline in Venezuelan oil and US sanctions, resulting in a 4% economic contraction in 2025.
The Economic Crisis in Cuba, Its Causes, and Migration — Horizonte Cubano, Columbia Law School
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Trump publicly declared on social media that there will be "NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!" and warned Havana to "make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE," without specifying terms.
- Cuba’s government says 32 of its military and security personnel were killed in the U.S. operation that captured Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, describing them as present under a Cuba–Venezuela security agreement.
- Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel responded on X, accusing Washington of lacking moral authority, blaming U.S. sanctions for more than $7.5 billion in economic losses between March 2024 and February 2025, and defending Cuba’s political model.
- Trump amplified a social‑media post predicting Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be 'president of Cuba,' replying, "Sounds good to me!"
- The piece reiterates that U.S. forces are seizing Venezuelan oil tankers in order to control production, refining and global distribution, further cutting off Cuba’s main external oil lifeline.
- Fox quotes Trump’s ultimatum text more completely: 'THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.'
- Article underlines that Venezuela has been Cuba’s largest oil supplier and says Trump has 'successfully secured oil shipments to the U.S.' following Maduro’s capture.
- It reports that on Friday Trump hosted U.S. and international oil executives from across Venezuela’s supply chain at the White House and pledged to put U.S. firms 'back to the forefront' of Venezuelan oil production and exports.