U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that once the United States finishes its focus on the conflict with Iran, attention may shift to Cuba, the Caribbean nation already struggling under heavy U.S. pressure.
Speaking at a White House reception, Trump said the Iran situation remains the priority but hinted that efforts involving Cuba are imminent. “We want to fix, finish this one first — but that will be just a question of time before you and a lot of unbelievable people are going to be going back to Cuba,” he told guests, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Trump also praised Rubio, the Miami-born son of Cuban immigrants saying he has done “a fantastic job on a place called Cuba.”
The United States has tightened economic pressure on Cuba, including measures that have cut off Venezuelan oil supplies to the island. Cuba’s fuel supply has dropped sharply as a result, forcing airlines to reduce flights and deepening the country’s ongoing energy crisis.
Many observers see Trump’s comments as part of a broader effort to increase U.S. influence in the region. Cuba has been dealing with a severe energy shortage after U.S. actions blocked foreign oil imports, contributing to widespread power outages and economic hardship.
Trump and Rubio have previously signaled that they want to see political change in Havana, and recent remarks have raised speculation that Cuba could become a future focus of U.S. policy once the situation with Iran is resolved.