Trump Envisions His Role with Cuba: "Whether to Liberate or Seize, I Believe I Can Do Anything"

On Monday, Donald Trump expressed his confidence in his ability to manage the situation with Cuba, stating he would be "honored" to "take it" and suggesting that liberating the island would essentially equate to taking control.

These remarks were made from the White House as he addressed questions from journalists following a live appearance.

The former U.S. president referred to the island nation as a "failed state," claiming that Cuba is reaching out to the United States. He blended praise for its tourism potential with a distinctively interventionist tone.

When asked whether his approach to Cuba would resemble U.S. actions in Iran or Venezuela, Trump replied, "I can't tell you that. I can tell you they are reaching out to us. It's a failed state."

This statement led into a discussion where he mixed economic observations about Cuba with political assessments of its future.

In his depiction of the country, Trump emphasized Cuba's lack of resources, saying, "They don't have money, they don't have oil, they have nothing."

Nonetheless, he highlighted Cuba's natural assets, noting its "good land," "beautiful landscape," and describing it as a "beautiful island."

He also asserted that, "in its own way, in terms of tourism and everything else," Cuba has a tremendous allure, complimenting its climate and noting its absence from hurricane zones as an advantage.

Connection with Cuban Exiles

A significant portion of his remarks were aimed at emphasizing the ties between Cuba and the Cuban expatriate community, particularly in Florida.

Trump mentioned meeting many individuals from Cuba who, according to him, were mistreated in their homeland but thrived in the United States. "They're here and became wealthy. They're very entrepreneurial. Very smart," he stated.

To illustrate this point, he referenced several Cuban-American acquaintances, including a friend who, he claimed, started with nothing and became the nation's largest gas station owner.

He also mentioned the Fanjul family, commenting on their desire to visit Cuba after not having returned for about 50 years.

Trump suggested this desire is not uncommon. "Many Cubans said, Oh my God, would they like to go back?" he remarked.

From there, he revisited the notion of Cuba as a place of significant symbolic and material value, before making his intentions more explicit.

Vision for Cuba's Future

"I think Cuba will see the end. My whole life I've heard about the United States and Cuba. When will the United States do it? But I think I'll have the honor of taking Cuba," he declared.

This statement was immediately reinforced by Trump himself. "It would be a great honor," he added.

When pressed further with the question "Take Cuba?", he responded unequivocally: "Take Cuba. In some form, yes." This repetition underscored that it was not merely an offhand comment, but a notion he wanted to explicitly reiterate.

Trump went even further, elaborating on this idea with a formulation that combines "liberation" and control.

"Take Cuba. I mean, if I liberate it, I take it. I think I can do whatever I want with it," he asserted.

In the same segment, Trump depicted Cuba as a country deeply affected by long-standing issues. "They're a very impacted nation right now. They have been for a long time," he said.

He attributed this situation to the historical leadership of the Cuban Revolution, describing Fidel Castro and his brothers as "very violent," "extremely violent" leaders, and claimed that "that's how they ruled," through violence.