During the Shield of the Americas summit on Saturday, President Donald Trump suggested that Secretary of State Marco Rubio could easily reach a deal with Cuba, requiring barely “an hour of his time.”
Trump indicated that Havana is interested in negotiating with his administration, asserting that reaching an understanding with the island nation would be “a straightforward task.”
“What are you going to do, Marco? Take a couple of days off? No, he won't. Maybe just an hour. He’ll take an hour off and wrap up a deal with Cuba. That one’s a no-brainer,” Trump remarked.
Additionally, Trump emphasized that Cuba is facing a severe crisis, describing it as a country teetering on the brink of collapse.
“Cuba is at the end of the line, truly at the end. They lack money, they lack oil,” he declared, attributing the situation to “flawed ideology” and a “bad regime that has been detrimental for a long time.”
Trump also pointed out that in the past, Cuba benefitted from economic and energy support from Venezuela, which is no longer available.
“They used to get money from Venezuela. They received oil from Venezuela. But now, they have neither the funds nor the oil from Venezuela. They’re left with nothing,” he stated.
He further highlighted the deteriorating conditions in Cuba, asserting that there are even challenges in refueling aircraft.
“People can’t even… when they land in Cuba, they can’t get fuel to take off again. They have to leave their planes there,” he explained.
The president affirmed that the Cuban government is already communicating with Washington.
“And they want to negotiate. They’re in talks with Marco, with me, and with some others,” he said. He reiterated that reaching an agreement with Cuba would not be overly complicated: “I believe a deal with Cuba can be achieved quite easily.”
Reflecting on a long-term view of the Cuban crisis, Trump expressed: “For fifty years, I’ve been hearing about Cuba. Since I was a little kid, I heard about Cuba. You know, Cuba is a mess. I’ve heard so much about Cuba over the years.”
Trump also predicted the imminent end of the Cuban political system, suggesting a bright future ahead. “Cuba is in its final moments as it has been. It’s going to have a whole new life, but it’s in its last stages as it stands now,” he stated.
However, he clarified that his administration’s immediate focus is on another international issue. “Our attention right now is on Iran, and we’ll take care of that,” he asserted, before returning to the Cuban topic and joking about how little time Rubio would need to resolve it.
Trump mentioned that his administration’s policy isn’t confined to Cuba but extends to the entire region. “What we’re doing encompasses the whole area,” he noted.
He added that several attendees at the summit had urged him to address the Cuban situation. “Many of you came up to me today and said, ‘We hope you can take care of Cuba because there have been issues with Cuba,’” he recounted.
He even noted that these requests were made multiple times during the gathering. “I was surprised, but four of you said, ‘Could you do us a favor and handle Cuba?’ I will take care of it, alright,” he concluded.
Insights into U.S.-Cuba Relations
What was Trump's perspective on Cuba's situation?
Trump described Cuba as being on the verge of collapse, lacking essential resources like money and oil, and suffering from a long-standing, detrimental regime.
How did Trump suggest a deal with Cuba could be reached?
Trump suggested that Secretary of State Marco Rubio could finalize a deal with Cuba in as little as an hour, indicating that it would be a straightforward task.
What did Trump say about Cuba's past support from Venezuela?
Trump noted that Cuba once received financial and oil support from Venezuela, but that support is no longer available, leaving Cuba without these crucial resources.