Trump Uses Shield of the Americas Summit to Pledge to 'Take Care of Cuba' and Praise Venezuela’s U.S.-Backed Transition
At the Shield of the Americas summit in Doral — framed by the White House as a new "Donroe Doctrine" initiative with Kristi Noem as special envoy and a roster of a dozen Latin American and Caribbean leaders attending — Trump vowed to "take care of Cuba" after leaders pressed him, praised Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez for "working with us," and held up the U.S.-backed post‑Maduro transition (alongside eased oil restrictions and pending gold/mineral deals) as a model for future regime change. Concurrently, federal prosecutors in Miami led by U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones have stood up a working group with OFAC and other partners to target economic, drug, violent and immigration‑related crimes tied to Cuban Communist Party leaders.
📌 Key Facts
- The first Shield of the Americas Summit was held March 7, 2026 at Trump National Doral Miami, hosted by President Trump; Kristi Noem is positioned as Special Envoy to the Shield of the Americas and will lead the initiative at the summit.
- The White House framed the summit as embodying a new 'Donroe Doctrine' and announced a joint security declaration signed with 17 hemispheric leaders that emphasizes anti‑cartel and anti‑migration priorities.
- A roster of a dozen attending Latin American and Caribbean heads of state and government included leaders from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile (president‑elect), Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago.
- At the summit Trump said several Latin American leaders had asked him to 'take care of Cuba' and told the crowd, 'I'll take care of it, ok?'; he has also told CNN 'Cuba is gonna fall pretty soon,' language that casts Cuba as a likely future regime‑change target.
- Trump publicly praised Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez for 'working with us,' credited U.S. oil exports and forthcoming gold and mineral deals with improving Venezuela’s economic outlook, and the administration has eased parts of a Venezuelan oil blockade to allow some private‑sector oil sales to Cuba.
- Axios noted that Delcy Rodríguez — described as a Trump‑installed acting president and an example of the administration’s interventionist approach — was notably not attending the summit.
- In Miami, U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones is reported to be spearheading a formal Cuban prosecution working group in the Southern District of Florida that includes OFAC and other federal and local partners and will target economic crimes, drugs, violent crimes and immigration‑related violations tied to Communist Party leadership.
- Separately, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Yara Klukas is identified as co‑leading an expanded probe of former Obama‑era intelligence officials over the 2017 Russia interference assessment, including issuing broader subpoenas.
📊 Relevant Data
US sanctions on Cuba have contributed to an economic crisis, leading to nearly 600,000 Cubans attempting to migrate to the United States since 2021, a figure higher than previous major waves like the 1980 Mariel boatlift.
From FY2022 to FY2024, US Customs and Border Protection encountered an average of 214,170 Cuban migrants annually, a fivefold increase over FY2017-FY2021 levels.
Cuba: U.S. Policy Overview — Congress.gov
In Miami-Dade County, Florida, the Cuban population is approximately 940,935 residents as of recent estimates, representing a significant portion of the county's demographics, with population growth from 2010 to 2022 averaging 0.5% per year largely driven by international migration.
Cuban Population in Miami-Dade County, FL by City — Neilsberg
The US embargo on Cuba, in place since the 1960s, has hindered economic growth, with recent impacts including energy blackouts and fuel shortages exacerbated by the cutoff of Venezuelan oil supplies.
Move on from Washington's outdated Cuba policy — Defense Priorities
One in four Cubans have left the country in the last four years, contributing to a massive population decline, driven by disillusionment, US sanctions, and a shattered economy.
'History will tell': as US pressure grows, Cuba edges closer to collapse amid mass exodus — The Guardian
Following the US capture of Nicolás Maduro in January 2026, the easing of Venezuelan oil sanctions has allowed some private-sector oil sales to Cuba, aiming to alleviate Cuba's fuel shortages and blackouts affecting millions.
US eases Cuba oil embargo but demands 'dramatic' change — News-Graphic
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- At the March 7, 2026 Shield of the Americas Summit at Trump National Doral Miami, Trump said several Latin American leaders had asked him to 'take care of Cuba' and he responded, 'I'll take care of it, ok?' to applause.
- NPR lists attending leaders from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago.
- Trump publicly praised Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez for 'working with us' and credited U.S. oil exports and forthcoming gold and mineral deals with improving Venezuela’s economic outlook.
- The piece notes that the Trump administration has eased aspects of a Venezuelan oil blockade, allowing some private‑sector oil sales to Cuba to alleviate fuel shortages and rolling blackouts there.
- The article underscores that Trump has explicitly described the post‑Maduro transition in Venezuela as his model for future regime changes, which Cuban‑American activists interpret as a signal he may back similar moves against Cuba’s Miguel Díaz‑Canel.
- Details of the first Shield of the Americas Summit, to be held in Doral, Florida, with President Trump hosting.
- Kristi Noem, just removed as DHS secretary, is now formally positioned as Special Envoy to the Shield of the Americas and will lead the initiative at the summit.
- A roster of 12 attending heads of state and government from Latin America and the Caribbean is listed, including leaders of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile (president‑elect), Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago.
- The White House frames the summit as an embodiment of the 'Donroe Doctrine' and says a new joint security declaration with 17 hemispheric leaders has been signed, emphasizing anti‑cartel and anti‑migration priorities.
- Trump‑installed Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez, a key example of the administration’s interventionist approach in the region, is notably not attending.
- Confirms that U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones is spearheading a formal Cuban prosecution working group in the Southern District of Florida.
- Details that the working group includes OFAC and other federal and local law‑enforcement partners and will target economic crimes, drugs, violent crimes and immigration‑related violations tied specifically to Communist Party leadership.
- Adds on‑the‑record context that Trump, fresh off Maduro’s ouster and the new Iran war, told CNN 'Cuba is gonna fall pretty soon,' explicitly casting Cuba as the next likely regime‑change target.
- Identifies First Assistant U.S. Attorney Yara Klukas as co‑leading a separate, expanded probe of former Obama‑era intelligence officials over the 2017 Russia interference assessment, including recent broader subpoenas.