Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Says Military Preparing for Possibility of U.S. Military Aggression After Trump 'Taking Cuba' Remarks
Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío told NBC’s Meet the Press that Cuba’s military is “preparing” for the possibility of U.S. military aggression after former President Trump said it would be “a big honor” to be the president who “takes Cuba” and that he could “do anything I want with it.” Fernández de Cossío said Cuba is “absolutely” opposed to regime change and becoming a “vassal state,” blamed U.S. pressure for the island’s energy and economic crisis, and said Havana is willing to negotiate with whatever U.S. representative is designated, while some U.S. figures including Senator Marco Rubio emphasized diplomacy and rejected the idea of an imminent invasion.
📌 Key Facts
- In an NBC 'Meet the Press' interview that aired Sunday, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said Cuba's military is preparing for the possibility of U.S. military aggression following remarks by Donald Trump.
- The comments were prompted by Trump saying it would be 'a big honor' to be the president who has the 'honor of taking Cuba,' that he could 'do anything I want with it,' and calling Cuba a 'failed nation.'
- Fernández de Cossío reiterated that Cuba is 'absolutely' opposed to regime change and would not accept becoming a 'vassal state.'
- At the same time, Fernández de Cossío said Havana is prepared to negotiate with whatever U.S. representative is designated.
- Cuban officials framed their stance as defensive, blamed the island's energy and economic crisis on U.S. pressure, and said they see no justification for U.S. military action.
- The report contrasts Cuba's warnings with U.S. public statements — noting Marco Rubio's line emphasizing diplomacy and 'new people in charge,' while opposing implications of an imminent invasion.
📊 Relevant Data
Between 2019 and 2024, nearly one million Cubans arrived in the United States, representing an unprecedented surge in migration driven by Cuba's economic crisis and humanitarian conditions, including lack of access to jobs, food, and medicine, exacerbated by U.S. sanctions.
The future of many Cubans in the US depends on a long legal saga — El País
The U.S. embargo against Cuba has negatively impacted the Cuban economy, contributing to a public deficit of nearly 20% of GDP in 2025, reflecting economic frailty due to lack of strong external financing and investment.
The Cuban Economic Crisis: Impact of Government Mismanagement and International Sanctions on a Developing Country — Michigan Journal of Economics
U.S. estimates indicate that as many as 25,000 Cuban personnel, including intelligence officers, soldiers, security advisers, and medical staff, were present in Venezuela to support the Maduro regime before recent withdrawals following his capture.
Exodus Of Cuban Forces Reshapes Venezuela's Military Balance After Maduro's Capture: 'Their Word Was Law' — Latin Times
Cuban Americans, numbering approximately 2.4 million in the U.S. (about 0.7% of the total population), show a strong Republican affiliation, with 68% of likely Cuban American voters in Miami-Dade County supporting Donald Trump in 2024 polls, compared to broader Hispanic voters who lean Democratic.
FIU Cuba Poll 2024: Cuban American voters' support for Trump at an all-time high — Florida International University
The Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 continues to provide Cubans who reach U.S. soil a pathway to permanent residency after one year, facilitating higher rates of legal permanent residency for Cubans compared to other immigrant groups, with Cuba ranking among the top 10 source countries for legal permanent residents.
Cuban migration to the United States: Policy and trends — LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"The WSJ opinion argues that Cuba’s dire economic and social collapse is the result of regime mismanagement and is being masked by anti‑U.S. rhetoric and posturing — a cynical 'con' to deflect blame and extract sympathy."
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Article specifies that Fernández de Cossío’s comments came in an interview on NBC’s 'Meet the Press' that aired Sunday.
- It quotes Trump saying it would be 'a big honor' to be the president who has the 'honor of taking Cuba' and that he could 'do anything I want with it,' framing Cuba as a 'failed nation.'
- It details Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s contrasting public line emphasizing diplomacy and 'new people in charge' while opposing the implication of imminent invasion.
- Fernández de Cossío reiterates that Cuba is 'absolutely' opposed to regime change and would not accept becoming a 'vassal state,' while saying Havana is prepared to negotiate with whatever U.S. representative is designated.
- The piece underscores that Cuban officials frame their stance as defensive and blame Cuba’s energy and economic crisis on U.S. pressure, while saying they see no justification for U.S. military action.