President Donald Trump announced that the United States has begun engaging with Cuban leaders, even as his administration intensifies pressure on the island by restricting critical oil supplies. Speaking to reporters Saturday night on his flight to Florida, Trump offered few details but said, “We’re starting to talk to Cuba.”
Using Oil Cuts to Push Havana
Trump indicated that recent US measures, including cutting off oil shipments from Venezuela and Mexico, are meant to force Cuba to the negotiating table. He suggested that the economic squeeze would make the Cuban government more willing to engage with Washington.
Earlier this month, Cuba became increasingly dependent on Mexican oil after the US halted shipments from Venezuela following the ouster of President Nicolás Maduro. Trump has predicted that the Cuban government is close to collapse.
Regional Concerns Over Humanitarian Impact
This past week, Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on goods from any country supplying oil to Cuba, adding pressure on Mexico. In response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned the move could spark a humanitarian crisis and said her government would explore alternatives to continue assisting Cuba.
Trump pushed back on the warning, saying, “It doesn’t have to be a humanitarian crisis. I think they probably would come to us and want to make a deal.”
Trump Predicts a Deal and “Freedom” for Cuba
While the US goals in Cuba remain unclear, Trump expressed confidence that negotiations would result in an agreement. “So Cuba would be free again,” he said, predicting some sort of deal would emerge and adding, “I think, you know, we’ll be kind.”
