The Trump administration has escalated Cuba to a "Top Priority" status within the National Intelligence Priorities Framework, placing it on par with nations like China, Iran, and Russia, as reported by The New York Times on Wednesday.
In response to this reclassification, the CIA has discreetly established a specialized task force dedicated solely to the island, according to the newspaper's revelations.
This unit, whose existence had been kept under wraps, possesses the capability to swiftly reallocate funds, personnel, and technical support to Cuba. It comprises case officers, analysts, cyberoperation specialists, and experts in covert influence, highlighted in the report.
The stated mission of this task force, according to the New York-based daily, is to "create fissures within Cuba's political elite and facilitate the replacement of hardline officials with more pragmatic figures willing to negotiate with Trump's demands."
However, the task force's mandate comes with explicit boundaries: it is not authorized to conduct lethal operations and, unlike the Bay of Pigs era efforts, it lacks organized Cuban partners on the ground, the report clarifies.
CIA analysts are also scrutinizing new intelligence streams for clues regarding financial movements and business dealings of the regime's leaders.
This disclosure follows a report by Politico detailing an increase in spies and intelligence assets in Cuba, including over 150 hours of aerial reconnaissance missions using P-8A Poseidon, RC-135V Rivet Joint, and MQ-4C Triton aircraft since February of this year.
Sources cited by Politico cautioned that this deployment "could support anything from intensified intelligence operations to eventual military planning," though they emphasized that no military action has been approved or is imminent.
The formation of this task force marks the culmination of a sustained escalation throughout 2026.
In May, CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unusual high-level visit to Havana—the first by an agency chief in decades—to personally deliver Trump's message: Washington would only engage in discussions on economic and security matters if Cuba enacted "fundamental changes," including economic and political reforms, and ceased Russian and Chinese intelligence operations on the island.
During his visit, Ratcliffe met with Cuba's Interior Minister, Lázaro Álvarez Casas, and the head of Cuban intelligence. The Cuban regime responded by presenting what it claimed was evidence that the island does not pose a threat to U.S. national security.
Days after that visit, the U.S. sanctioned high-ranking Cuban officials and the Directorate of Intelligence, known as DGI or G2.
In July, the State Department released a 107-page report categorizing Cuba as a structural threat to U.S. national security, and senior Pentagon officials examined possible courses of action concerning the island.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a key proponent of this policy within the administration, has deemed Cuba a "major priority" and has advocated for employing "all conventional tools," including intelligence, to pressure the Havana regime.
Cuba as a Priority in U.S. Intelligence Efforts
Why has Cuba been elevated to a "Top Priority" by U.S. intelligence?
Cuba has been elevated to a "Top Priority" due to concerns over its political alliances and potential threats to U.S. national security. The Trump administration aimed to address these issues by increasing intelligence focus and pressure on the Cuban regime.
What is the purpose of the newly established CIA task force on Cuba?
The task force's mission is to create divisions within Cuba's political elite and encourage the emergence of more pragmatic leaders willing to negotiate with U.S. demands, without engaging in lethal operations or relying on organized Cuban partners.