Trump Says He Expects 'Honor' of 'Taking Cuba' Amid Island Blackout
In a March 16 Oval Office exchange with Fox News, President Donald Trump said he believes he will have 'the honor' of 'taking Cuba' 'in some form,' calling the island a 'failed nation' and a 'very weakened nation' as it suffered a nationwide electrical blackout. Pressed on whether any future U.S. military action in Cuba would resemble his campaigns in Iran or Venezuela, Trump declined to give specifics but declared, 'I think I could do anything I want with it, you want to know the truth?' He tied his posture to decades of violent rule by Cuba’s leaders and to Havana’s deepening energy crisis after the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and cut off oil exports to Cuba earlier this year. The article notes that Cuba’s president has acknowledged talks with Trump administration officials, casting them as an effort to avert regime change, while Trump earlier this month vowed to 'take care' of Cuba’s regime after focusing on Iran. The comments are fueling intense debate online and among regional analysts over whether the administration is normalizing open talk of regime change or even annexation in the Western Hemisphere at a moment when U.S. forces are already heavily engaged in Iran and pressure campaigns across Latin America.
📌 Key Facts
- On March 16, 2026, President Trump told Fox News he believes he will have 'the honor' of 'taking Cuba' and that he could 'do anything I want with it.'
- Trump described Cuba as a 'failed nation' and a 'very weakened nation' that 'has no money' and 'no oil' as the island experienced a total national grid collapse and blackout that same day.
- Cuba’s president has publicly said his government is in talks with Trump administration officials as Havana seeks to stave off potential regime change amid an energy crisis worsened by the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the cutoff of oil exports to Cuba.
📊 Relevant Data
The United States has a history of military interventions in Cuba, including assisting in the island's independence from Spain in 1898 and occupying it until 1902, followed by subsequent interventions in the early 20th century.
A Timeline of US-Cuba Relations — HISTORY
As of 2025, the Cuban population in the United States totals approximately 2.5 million individuals, representing about 0.75% of the total U.S. population, with the highest concentration in Florida at over 1.6 million.
Cuban Population in United States by State : 2025 Ranking & Insights — Neilsberg Research
Between 2019 and 2024, nearly one million Cubans arrived in the United States, contributing to an exodus where approximately one in four Cubans have left the island in the past four years.
The future of many Cubans in the US depends on a long legal saga — El País
Cuba's economy has been severely impacted by the U.S. embargo, with estimates indicating that without the blockade, Cuba's GDP would have grown by more than 9% in 2024.
Speakers in General Assembly Highlight Impact of United States Blockade on Cuba, as Delegates Overwhelmingly Adopt Resolution Urging Its End — United Nations
Cuba typically relies on Venezuela for about 75% of its oil imports, a supply disrupted by the U.S. cutoff following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, exacerbating the 2026 energy crisis and national blackout.
Cuba is quickly nearing a point of no return as the U.S. weaponizes Venezuelan oil — Fortune
The Cuban-American lobby, including groups like the Cuban American National Foundation, has historically influenced U.S. policy toward Cuba by advocating for hardline stances, though its influence is weakening due to generational shifts within the community.
How the Cuba lobby lost its juice — Responsible Statecraft
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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