Cuban singer Yotuel Romero took to Facebook on Saturday to express a strong reaction to President Donald Trump's recent statements. Trump declared that the United States might "take control of Cuba almost immediately" after finalizing military operations in Iran, and announced the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier near the island's shores.
"The United States will send the USS Abraham Lincoln and position it off Cuba's coast. They must surrender or face military action against the regime's high command," Yotuel summarized in his post, echoing Trump's words. The co-author of "Patria y Vida" concluded his message with two emphatic words: "IT'S OVER."
Trump made these comments on Friday during a private dinner at the Forum Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. He mentioned that the aircraft carrier would stop "about 100 yards from the shore," with the regime responding, "Thank you very much, we surrender." He stressed that any action concerning Cuba would depend on the completion of operations in Iran, stating: "I like to finish what I start."
On the same day, Trump signed a new executive order significantly expanding sanctions against the Cuban regime, freezing assets in the United States and imposing secondary sanctions on foreign banks facilitating transactions with sanctioned Cuban entities.
Yotuel's Ongoing Activism
Yotuel's reaction aligns with his long-standing activism against the dictatorship. Earlier this year, the artist went viral with a direct message to Miguel Díaz-Canel: "You still have time to leave," warning that "you will go down in history as what you are: a dictator defeated by your own fear." In March, he participated in the Free Cuba Rally in Hialeah, where he performed "Puente Libertad" alongside El Chacal.
The Cuban exile community responded with widespread enthusiasm. Opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer expressed his approval from Spain with a brief comment: "I almost return immediately." Cuban-American Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar also praised the new executive order, asserting that "the era of appeasement is over."
Regime's Defiant Response
The regime reacted with defiance. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla denounced the "new clear and direct threat of military aggression," insisting that "Cubans are not intimidated." Díaz-Canel described the measures as a reflection of "moral poverty" and "intimidating behavior," dismissing any notion of surrender.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is currently operating in the Middle East alongside two other aircraft carriers as part of Operation Epic Fury against Iran, which began on February 28, 2026. Trump has explicitly tied any actions concerning Cuba to the resolution of that conflict, making his statements an imminent but conditional threat.
Since January 2025, the accumulated sanctions against Cuba have surpassed 240 measures, marking an unprecedented escalation of pressure that the Cuban exile community watches with growing anticipation.
Key Questions about U.S. Actions on Cuba
What are Trump's recent threats concerning Cuba?
President Trump threatened that the U.S. might take control of Cuba almost immediately after concluding military operations in Iran, deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln near the island.
How has the Cuban regime responded to Trump's threats?
The Cuban regime, through Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, denounced the threats as military aggression and insisted that Cubans would not be intimidated.
What is Yotuel Romero's stance on the situation in Cuba?
Yotuel Romero is a vocal critic of the Cuban regime and has a history of activism against it. He supports efforts to encourage change and has publicly addressed regime leaders.