Trump Weighs Military Campaign to Free Cuba Before Leaving Office

President Donald Trump at the White House on Nov. 6, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump stated in a radio interview on Nov. 12 that he aims to free Cuba before his term ends in January 2029 and would consider a military campaign if necessary.

“I want to get Cuba done before I leave,” Trump told radio and talk show host Hugh Hewitt on the Salem News Channel.

“We’re watching it very closely. It’s doing very poorly. It’s essentially a failed, you know, place, nation, whatever you want to call it. It’s failed, and we’re watching it,” Trump said.

Asked if he’d be okay using a little military force, perhaps a week-long campaign, on Cuba, Trump said, “I would certainly consider that, yes.”

He also praised his secretary of State, Marco Rubio, calling him a “talented guy.”

“His parents are from Cuba, as you probably know, and he would love to do that,” Trump said.

Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has brought back the “maximum pressure” campaign against Cuba, leading to a breakdown in formal relations between the two countries.

Following a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture and removal of regime leader Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, Washington restricted oil shipments to Cuba. By cutting off subsidized Venezuelan oil, the Trump administration removed Cuba’s most critical economic lifeline. As a result, Cuba has entered a severe economic and energy crisis.

In recent months, Trump has intensified the U.S. pressure campaign by expanding sanctions on state-owned businesses, government agencies, and senior officials.

One of the most significant escalations since the Cold War occurred on May 20, when Raúl Castro was indicted on murder charges in the United States.

This is a developing story and will be updated.