Trump says US could focus on Cuba after Iran conflict: 'Cuba’s going to fall, too'

Earlier in the same appearance, Trump offered a confident assessment of the military campaign against Iran, saying U.S. and Israeli forces were continuing to “totally demolish the enemy.”

• Trump hints Cuba could be next US foreign policy focus after Iran.
• US pressure on Cuba includes cutting off Venezuelan oil support.
• Trump predicts political change and instability in Cuba soon.

Did our AI summary help?

US President Donald Trump indicated on Thursday that Cuba could become the next major focus of his administration’s foreign policy once the ongoing military campaign involving Iran concludes.

Speaking at the White House during an event with players and officials from Inter Miami CF, the 2025 Major League Soccer champions, Trump briefly shifted from discussing the Middle East conflict to comment on developments in Cuba.

“What’s happening with Cuba is amazing,” Trump said. “We think that we want to fix -- finish this one first, but that will be just a question of time before you and a lot of unbelievable people are going to be going back to Cuba, hopefully not to stay.”

His remarks came less than a week after tensions escalated in the Middle East, with the United States involved in military operations against Iran. Trump praised the role of Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his comments.

“And you’ve been doing a fantastic job on a place called Cuba,” Trump said, addressing Rubio in the room, drawing applause from attendees that included several people of Cuban heritage.

Earlier in the same appearance, Trump offered a confident assessment of the military campaign against Iran, saying U.S. and Israeli forces were continuing to “totally demolish the enemy.”

In a separate interview with Politico, Trump suggested that political change in Cuba could be approaching, while also speaking about the future of Iran’s leadership and tensions surrounding the war in Ukraine.

“Cuba’s going to fall, too,” Trump said in the Politico interview, predicting the collapse of the island’s communist government.

He also indicated that Washington has been applying pressure on Havana, particularly by restricting the energy lifeline it previously received from Venezuela.

“We cut off all oil, all money, or we cut off everything coming in from Venezuela, which was the sole source. And they want to make a deal,” Trump said.

According to Trump, the United States is also communicating with Cuba’s leadership as instability on the island intensifies.

“They need help. We are talking to Cuba,” he said.

When asked whether Washington was actively contributing to the situation unfolding in Cuba, Trump responded: “Well, what do you think? For 50 years, that’s icing on the cake.”

He linked the island’s difficulties partly to U.S. pressure on its external support network.

“Well, it’s because of my intervention, intervention that is happening,” Trump said. “Obviously, otherwise they wouldn’t have this problem.”

During the Politico interview, Trump also discussed the war with Iran and suggested the United States intends to influence the country’s future leadership after the conflict.

“I’m going to have a big impact, or they’re not going to have any settlement, because we’re not going to have to go do this again,” he said.

Trump said Washington would “work with the people and the regime to make sure that somebody gets there that can nicely build Iran but without nuclear weapons.”

At the White House event, he maintained that the military campaign against Iran is progressing strongly, telling reporters the U.S. has overwhelming resources.

“We’re being surgical,” Trump said. “We have unlimited supply of weapons, unlimited. … We have thousands, thousands, of them.”

While the Middle East conflict remains the administration’s immediate priority, Trump’s remarks signaled that Cuba could become another front in his broader geopolitical agenda once the Iran crisis subsides.