In a blunt political salvo, U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday urged the Cuban government to “make a deal” with Washington or face the consequences of a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape that has left the long-time ally of Havana in a precarious position, according to BBC News. The stark warning came as part of a broader U.S. campaign to roll back the influence of Cuba and its erstwhile partner, Venezuela, following a dramatic U.S. military operation earlier this month.
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump declared that Havana would receive “no more oil or money” from Venezuela; a lifeline on which the Cuban economy has historically depended. “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA—ZERO!” he wrote, urging Cuba’s leaders to seek terms with the United States “before it is too late.”
The ultimatum is inseparable from recent U.S. actions in Venezuela, where American forces executed an audacious pre-dawn raid on January 3 to capture President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, transporting them to the United States to face federal charges. The operation, involving elite forces and extensive military assets, has been both celebrated by U.S. officials and condemned by critics as a violation of international law.
Trump accused Cuba of having provided “security services” to Caracas in exchange for Venezuelan oil and financial support, aid that he says has now been cut off. He also suggested that Venezuelans no longer need Cuban protection, touting U.S. military power as Venezuela’s new shield.
Havana has yet to issue a formal response to the latest American ultimatum, though officials previously described the deaths of 32 Cuban nationals during the Venezuelan operation as a criminal act of aggression. Cuban President Miguel Díaz Canel vowed to honor the fallen “brave combatants.”
Amid rising regional tensions, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio himself of Cuban descent has amplified pressure on the island’s leadership, hinting that Cuban officials should be “concerned” about their government’s future. Trump even reshared a social media post jokingly suggesting Rubio as a potential leader of Cuba.
The unfolding standoff underscores the profound strains in U.S. Cuba relations and the broader recalibration of power in a region long shaped by ideological rivalry and military might.
