President Donald Trump told reporters that he has the “honor to take Cuba” and do “anything I want with it.” He told reporters that the Caribbean island is a failed state, while promising that Cuba was next on his list to confront following Iran.
The President’s comments come at a time when senior figures in his administration have said that the current war in Iran will end soon. However, they refuse to reveal Trump’s specific goals right now while refusing to handle the issue of using the US military as a world’s police force.
The Independent reports that, at the time of his announcement on Monday, Trump was busy with an executive order signing ceremony when a reporter asked him about Cuba. He replied, saying he can easily “take” the island. In fact, he would have the “honor” of taking the island in some form.
“I do believe I’ll be the honor of – have the honor of taking Cuba. That would be good. That’s a big honor,” said Trump. When Fox’s White House reporter, Peter Doocy, asked the president “Taking Cuba?” Trump responded, “Taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, or take it… I think I can do anything I want with it, to tell you the truth,” he added.
Trump: Cuba, it’s a beautiful island. Great weather. I will be having the honor of taking Cuba. Whether I free it, take it. I think I can do anything I want with it, if you want to know the truth pic.twitter.com/Po7J9tJMr2
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 16, 2026
The threats to take the island come after a warning by GOP senator Lindsey Graham who strongly backs Trump’s war against Iran. The South Carolina senator happily announced that Trump is targeting authoritarian regimes one by one, and that Caribbean nation was next on his list. “Cuba’s next. They’re going to follow this communist dictatorship in Cuba. Their days are numbered,” he told Fox News earlier this month.
Meanwhile, the war against Iran has led to many deaths, including 13 US service members and many civilians in Iran. This week, the conflict is in its third week, while Trump says the end is in sight, without saying when or what it would look like.
Due to the war, oil prices are surging worldwide, as Iranian forces have blocked the Strait of Hormuz, placing sea mines to prevent anyone passing through. This is a major problem as about 20 percent of international oil tanker traffic pass through the Strait of Hormuz each year.
While Iran had said they were not building nuclear weapons, the Trump administration has offered no clear objectives for the campaign in Iran, which was said to remove any threats by Iran to built ballistic weapons and a nuclear program.
In fact, the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis hit a low point in relations between Cuba and the US, which almost led to overt military hostilities. During former President Barack Obama’s two terms in office, the government worked towards better relations with the Castro government, prior to the death of Fidel Castro in 2016.
