Trump says Cuba operation could mirror Venezuela raid

Trump told Axios on Thursday that a Cuba operation resembling the January capture of Venezuela’s Maduro was “possible,” while maintaining a “flexible line.”axios
The remarks cap months of escalating pressure including an energy embargo, military buildup in the Caribbean, and an indictment of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro.thesoufancenter
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading Cuba engagement but has expressed skepticism that diplomacy will succeed, according to the AP.apnews

Trump Hints at Cuba Operation and Praises Rubio’s Involvement

President Donald Trump suggested that a U.S. operation targeting Cuba’s leadership could “possibly” resemble the swift military raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, while declining to commit to any specific timeline and praising Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s role in ongoing engagement with Havana.

Trump Draws Venezuela Parallels

In an interview with Axios published on Thursday, Trump said a future operation involving Cuba was “possible” when asked whether events there could mirror the Venezuela mission. The president described his administration’s approach as maintaining “a flexible line” toward the island and refused to outline any concrete schedule for action.axios

“Cuba wants to talk very badly,” Trump told Axios, adding that Rubio was “involved very much” in discussions with Havana. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, has served as the administration’s point person on the island since Trump first signaled plans to assign the secretary of state to oversee Cuba developments earlier this year.moneycontrol

Months of Escalating Pressure

The comments represent the latest escalation in a campaign that has intensified since U.S. special forces captured Maduro in a pre-dawn Caracas operation on January 3. Trump predicted shortly after that raid that Cuba was “ready to fall,” and his administration has since imposed an energy embargo cutting off oil shipments, positioned military assets in the Caribbean, and secured a federal indictment against former Cuban President Raúl Castro.apnews

In May, Cuba’s ambassador to the United Nations said in an interview that Havana was receptive to negotiations but accused Washington of creating pretexts for intervention. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel told NBC News in his first U.S. network interview that he would not step down despite the mounting pressure.youtube

Rubio’s Skepticism on Diplomacy

Even as Trump emphasized Cuba’s willingness to negotiate, Rubio has struck a more hawkish tone. During a press conference in May, the secretary of state said Cuba poses a national security threat due to its intelligence relationships with China and Russia and expressed doubt that diplomacy would succeed. The Associated Press reported that the administration’s Cuba playbook — combining an oil blockade, military buildup, indictments, and repeated threats — closely mirrors the strategy that preceded the Venezuela operation.apnews

The administration has yet to indicate whether its next move will come through negotiation or force, leaving Havana and regional observers parsing Trump’s deliberate ambiguity.