President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States has begun engaging in discussions with Cuban officials, even as his administration escalates economic pressure on the island by moving to restrict its access to foreign oil supplies.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling to Florida, Trump characterized the outreach as preliminary. “We’re starting to talk to Cuba,” he said, offering no details on when the discussions began, who is involved, or what issues are being addressed.
TRUMP: ‘Cuba will be falling pretty soon.” pic.twitter.com/GY3xmoDgUg
— Ben Kew (@ben_kew) January 27, 2026
The remarks come amid a broader campaign by the Trump administration to isolate Cuba economically, particularly through energy sanctions, writes ABC News. In recent weeks, the United States moved to block oil shipments from Venezuela following the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in early January. Cuba had long depended on subsidized Venezuelan oil, and the cutoff has forced Havana to seek alternative suppliers, including Mexico.
Trump intensified the pressure this past week by signing an executive order authorizing tariffs on goods imported from any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba. The policy is aimed at deterring nations from providing fuel to the island and has particular implications for Mexico, which has emerged as a key supplier since Venezuelan shipments were disrupted.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum criticized the move on Friday, warning that it could contribute to a humanitarian crisis in Cuba, where fuel shortages have already led to frequent power outages and worsening economic conditions. She said Mexico would explore ways to continue supporting Cuba despite the threat of U.S. tariffs.
Trump rejected those concerns, arguing that negotiations could prevent serious consequences. “It doesn’t have to be a humanitarian crisis,” he said. “I think they probably would come to us and want to make a deal.” He added that he believed an agreement was possible, saying, “I think, you know, we’ll be kind,” and suggesting that any deal would help make Cuba “free again.”
The president has repeatedly asserted in recent public statements that Cuba’s communist government is nearing collapse, a view he has emphasized as U.S. foreign policy attention has shifted toward the Caribbean following developments in Venezuela and broader confrontations with American adversaries.
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