President Donald Trump said on March 16 that he expects to have “the honor of taking Cuba in some form.” Speaking in the Oval Office, he added, “Whether I free it, take it — I think I can do anything I want with it.”
His remarks came as Cuba suffered an island-wide blackout. The island has received almost no fuel since the U.S. cut off Venezuelan oil shipments after capturing Nicolás Maduro in January.
Cuba and the U.S. have opened talks, led on the American side by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The New York Times reported that U.S. negotiators want Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to step down.
Sources: Reuters, Politico, The Hill
Editor’s note: This article was updated on October 17, 2026 to correct factual errors, including officials’ titles and event details, and to add source links.
