The US president says that Marco Rubio plays a central role in the policy towards Havana
14ymedio, Havana, June 19, 2026 / Donald Trump considers it “possible” that a US operation in Cuba could unfold similarly to the military incursion that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. The US president left open this possibility during an interview on Thursday with The Axios Show.
“Do you see the operation in Cuba unfolding in a similar way?” journalist Marc Caputo asked, referring to the U.S. operation that culminated in the arrest of the Venezuelan president in January. “Possibly. It’s possible,” Trump replied.
The question about Cuba came immediately after Trump asserted that the United States is “running Venezuela” together with the authorities who remain in the country. The president immediately justified his response by citing the geographical proximity of Cuba and Venezuela, in contrast to the distance separating the US from Iran, the scene of another of the military operations he claimed responsibility for during the conversation.
“Venezuela has oil. Cuba doesn’t. Cuba has good properties and a beautiful coastline.”
“Well, there’s something else. Those places are close. On the other hand, if you look at Iran, it’s a very long trip. I’ve flown to that area several times, for reasons unrelated to this, but it’s an 18-hour flight, that’s a long time. Venezuela is relatively close and Cuba is just a hop, skip, and a jump,” he said.
The president also compared the resources of Cuba and Venezuela. “Venezuela has oil. Cuba doesn’t. Cuba has good properties and a beautiful coast,” he declared, reducing the island’s economic appeal to its territory and coastline.
After discussing a possible operation, Trump asserted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would play a central role in the policy toward Havana. “We’re going to get Marco involved with Cuba. Cuba is very eager to talk,” he said.
When asked about the strong support he receives among Cuban Americans, Trump stated that approximately 95% of that community had voted for him. “I love them,” he added after Caputo mentioned that a significant portion of his political base is among Cuban exiles.
Axios reported that Trump declined to set a timeline for potential action on Cuba, stating only that his position remains “flexible.” The report also indicated that Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and a leading advocate of a maximum pressure policy against the Havana regime, is “deeply involved.”
“We’re going to get Marco involved with Cuba. Cuba is very eager to talk.”
The outlet itself noted that Trump has not authorized an invasion and that, at least publicly, he has expressed his preference for a peaceful transition to a free Cuba. However, his words constitute one of his most direct allusions to the possibility of replicating the model applied in Venezuela on the island.
In the interview, Trump again boasted about the speed of the operation against Maduro. “Look at Venezuela. It was all over in 48 minutes,” he stated. He later insisted that U.S. troops entered the country in less favorable weather conditions than anticipated and that the mission concluded in that same amount of time, despite Venezuela having a large number of soldiers.
The comparison comes after several reports about Washington’s preparations for a possible collapse of the Cuban regime. In late May, Axios revealed that Washington had analyzed various military response plans for a scenario of chaos on the island, which some officials considered possible as early as this summer.
Meanwhile, the administration has intensified economic and political pressure on Havana, with the stated intention of depriving the regime of resources. The capture of Maduro and the disruption of oil shipments from Venezuela have exacerbated Cuba’s energy crisis, characterized by prolonged blackouts, fuel shortages, and a sharp contraction in economic activity.
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