Cuba is on Donald Trump’s “wish list”. The president of the United States himself said it, opening a window onto his very personal Risk. During his speech as the keynote speaker at a private Forum Club dinner in West Palm Beach, Florida, the tycoon assured that he will “take control” of Cuba “almost immediately”, adding that he will first complete the operation in Iran.
Cuba next step
“I like to finish a job first. Maybe returning from the Middle East, one of the aircraft carriers could stop” in Cuba. Donald Trump said with a tone halfway between serious and amused.
Phrases that arrive a few hours after the announcement of the tightening of American sanctions against Cuba, which for the current American administration “continues to represent an extraordinary threat” to national security. The new sanctions, which target foreign banks that collaborate with the Cuban government and impose immigration restrictions, are contained in a presidential decree published on the White House website.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez defined the new sanctions as “collective punishment”, while a huge procession marched in front of the American embassy in Havana, for the May 1st celebrations, promising to be all ready to “defend the homeland”, according to AFP reports.
“We strongly reject the recent unilateral coercive measures adopted by the US government,” wrote on X Rodríguez adding that these are “illegal” and “abusive” sanctions.
Repudiable but curious and ridiculous. The government of the EEUU is alarmed and responds with new unilateral coercive measures, illegal and abusive, against Cuba, to the demise of the largest number of Cubans in Havana by the #1DeMayoentrusted by Army General Raúl Castro… pic.twitter.com/FisSHc1JVb
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) May 1, 2026
Storm at home
Meanwhile, Trump has to face protests from Democrats over the war operations in Iran. In a letter to Congress, the American president wrote that hostilities have “ended” and therefore no authorization is needed for the conflict. “What he said does not reflect the reality for tens of thousands of troops in the region. Trump entered this war with no strategy and no legal authorization and what he told Congress changes neither of those things,” Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen said. “This is an illegal war and Republicans are complicit,” said Senate liberal leader Chuck Schumer.