Trump revives Cuba warship threat as Rubio urges Cubans to act
Donald Trump has revived a threat to send US warships toward Cuba, telling a rally in south Florida that vessels returning from Iran could stop near the island. The remarks were followed by a social media post from Marco Rubio, who urged Cubans seeking political change to act now. Together, the comments mark a fresh escalation in rhetoric from two senior US figures on Cuba.
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Trump made the comments during a Friday rally for candidates in south Florida, responding to a shouted question from the crowd about Cuba. He said the ships would be coming back from Iran and suggested one could stop about 50 yards off the Cuban coast. He then said Rubio would be sent in to "finish up the deal," reviving an idea he had floated earlier this year but had not mentioned in recent months.
Rubio, the US secretary of state, posted shortly after Trump's remarks and addressed his message to those who seek to create positive change. He urged Cubans to seize the moment, saying the disappointment of failed promises, corruption and the privileged lives of only a few should be met with action. In the same post, he referred to a "discrete partnership with the CIA," apparently using the word in place of "discreet," which would imply secrecy.
The comments matter because they link domestic US political messaging with direct language about intervention in Cuba. They also come at a time when voters have been expressing concern about the impact of the war on Iran on prices for goods ranging from gas to groceries. The remarks therefore sit at the intersection of foreign policy, election politics and long-running tensions between Washington and Havana.
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Trump and Rubio have both taken a hard line on Cuba before, and the latest statements build on earlier signals this year. In May, the two raised the prospect of US military intervention in Cuba again, after the administration announced criminal charges against the island's former leader, Raúl Castro. Trump has also said previously that Cuba could be "next" in terms of intervention abroad, language that has added to the pressure surrounding the issue.
The latest comments leave several questions unanswered, including whether any policy action will follow the rhetoric. It is also unclear how seriously the warship reference should be taken as a practical military plan rather than a political statement. For now, the immediate focus is on the reaction in Cuba, in Washington and among US voters as the campaign season continues.
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