Washington, May 2, 2026: US President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States could take over Cuba “almost immediately,” while also announcing expanded sanctions targeting the Cuban government and its affiliates.
Speaking at an event in Florida, Trump suggested that a US aircraft carrier could be deployed near Cuba following the ongoing US-Israeli conflict involving Iran.
“Cuba, which we will be taking over almost immediately,” Trump said, adding that the island nation was facing serious problems. He further remarked that a US naval deployment alone could force Havana into submission.
Trump specifically mentioned the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, claiming that if it stopped “100 yards offshore,” Cuban authorities would surrender without resistance.
The comments came as the White House unveiled a new executive order significantly broadening sanctions against the Cuban government. According to US officials, the measures target individuals, entities and affiliates linked to Cuba’s security apparatus, as well as those accused of corruption and human rights violations.
The sanctions also extend to foreign individuals and companies operating in sectors such as energy, defence, mining, financial services and security within the Cuban economy. The order authorises secondary sanctions against entities conducting transactions with sanctioned parties.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel strongly condemned the move, calling the measures “coercive” and accusing Washington of reinforcing what he described as a “brutal” blockade against the island nation. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the sanctions amounted to “collective punishment” against the Cuban people and insisted Havana would not be intimidated.
Analysts described the sanctions as among the most aggressive US measures against Cuba in decades, particularly because of their impact on non-American companies maintaining commercial ties with Havana.
The latest developments mark a further escalation in tensions between Washington and Havana, with the Trump administration repeatedly accusing Cuba of supporting hostile foreign intelligence and militant operations near US territory.
