The Pentagon is secretly expanding its plans for a possible military operation in Cuba as President Donald Trump keeps suggesting that the island could become a new focus for U.S. action, according to a USA Today report and comments from Pentagon officials.
The Pentagon stated it “plans for a range of contingencies and is ready to execute the president’s orders,” but it declined to comment on hypothetical scenarios.
This planning reflects a growing shift in U.S.-Cuba tensions after weeks of aggressive statements from Trump and increasing economic pressure on Havana. Reuters reported in March that Trump said “Cuba is next” during a speech in Miami where he talked about recent U.S. military successes. He also mentioned earlier that Washington was in talks with Cuba but would “do Iran before Cuba.”
Neither the Pentagon nor the White House has announced any operations or provided legal or operational justifications for military action.
The Pentagon’s public stance has focused on preparing for many possible scenarios and being ready to follow presidential orders. Although this language is open to interpretation, reports indicate a more active internal planning effort tied to Trump’s comments about Cuba.
Cuba has been plunged into darkness, and its people are being ‘paralysed’ by Trump’s tightening grip on its oil supply.
Sky’s Stuart Ramsay explores a country facing dwindling fuel reserves, a crumbling economy, and a health service that doesn’t work.
https://t.co/5mgkDQ5rr5 pic.twitter.com/nTsMFz9xK7
— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 16, 2026
The situation in Cuba is rapidly changing, as Reuters reported in March that Cuba had begun talks with the United States as an oil blockade imposed by Trump worsened the country’s energy crisis and led to widespread blackouts.
Cuba’s government said the talks should respect each country’s political system, while Trump claimed a deal could be reached quickly, or the U.S. would “do whatever we have to do.”
At the same time, Washington has maintained pressure in other ways. Reuters reported this week that Russia promised more oil shipments to Cuba after a tanker carrying about 700,000 barrels of crude headed to the island, which only meets less than a third of its oil needs through domestic production.
The U.S. allowed this shipment to go forward on humanitarian grounds after cutting off major external supplies, including those from Venezuela.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has rejected U.S. pressure to resign. In an interview reported by The Associated Press, he stated he would not step down under Washington’s pressure and insisted that changes to Cuba’s political system would come only from the Cuban people.
New reporting reveals the Pentagon is quietly ramping up planning for U.S. military operations in Cuba.
This comes after Trump said he would like to “take” over Cuba. pic.twitter.com/81pJmSVplh
— FactPost (@factpostnews) April 15, 2026
The AP also noted that Cuba recently announced the release of 2,010 prisoners as the Trump administration intensified pressure on the island.
Díaz-Canel has also warned against any attempts to remove him by force. The AP reported this week that he said a U.S. attack or effort to depose him would destabilize regional security, although he left the door open for dialogue without conditions.
The Pentagon admits to routine contingency planning, Trump has frequently suggested tougher actions toward Cuba, and tensions between the U.S. and Cuba have risen alongside the island’s fuel and economic crisis.
What is still unclear is whether Trump has decided on intervention, what form any operation would take, and how close Washington may be to turning rhetoric into action.
