US President Donald Trump on Friday raised the prospect of a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, though he did not clarify what he meant by the term. His comments come as relations between Washington and Havana remain strained.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House before leaving for Texas, Trump said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is engaged in “very high-level” talks with Cuban officials. “The Cuban government is talking with us,” he said, adding, “they have no money, they have no anything right now,” and suggesting the US might pursue a friendly takeover. Trump called such an outcome a “real possibility.”
Although he did not offer details on what a takeover would involve, Trump seemed to imply that Cuba’s economic difficulties and political pressures might be pushing the long-isolated, communist-led island toward major change. Havana has neither confirmed formal high-level negotiations nor accepted the idea of a takeover.
His remarks followed reports of a deadly maritime incident, in which a Florida-registered speedboat carrying armed individuals clashed with Cuban forces near the island’s northern coast, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries. Havana has acknowledged communication with US officials about the encounter while denying any formal government involvement in the incident.
The situation on the island has been complicated by Cuba’s worsening economic and energy crisis following the loss of Venezuelan oil support, as well as recent US sanctions that have tightened pressure on the Cuban government.
Cuban authorities have criticised the ongoing US fuel embargo and described it as collective punishment, stressing that recent developments have not altered the longstanding tensions between the two countries.
