President Donald Trump said the United States has begun talks with Cuba, even as his administration tightens economic pressure on the communist-run island by cutting off key oil supplies and targeting countries that help keep it fueled.
Speaking to reporters Saturday night aboard Air Force One en route to Florida, Trump offered few details about the outreach but signaled a shift in engagement. “We’re starting to talk to Cuba,” he said.
Oil Pressure Meant to Force Negotiations
Trump suggested that recent US actions—especially efforts to block oil shipments to Cuba—are designed to push Havana toward negotiations. In recent weeks, his administration moved to halt oil supplies from Venezuela and Mexico, arguing that the cuts would leave Cuba with little choice but to come to the table.
Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on goods from any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. The move placed particular pressure on Mexico, which became a major oil supplier to the island after US sanctions cut off Venezuelan shipments following the removal of Nicolás Maduro.
Regional Concerns and Humanitarian Warnings
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, warned that the new measures could trigger a humanitarian crisis in Cuba and said her government would look for alternative ways to continue providing assistance.
Trump pushed back on that concern, saying such an outcome was avoidable. “It doesn’t have to be a humanitarian crisis,” he said. “I think they probably would come to us and want to make a deal.”
Trump Predicts a Deal — and a Turning Point
While the administration’s ultimate goals with Cuba remain unclear, Trump has increasingly focused on the island as part of a broader effort to confront US adversaries. He has predicted that the Cuban government is close to collapse and suggested negotiations could lead to major change.
“So Cuba would be free again,” Trump said, adding that he expects some form of agreement to emerge. “I think, you know, we’ll be kind.”
