Trump Confirms Rubio Is Negotiating a Deal With Cuba

In a revelation that could mark a turning point in Washington-Havana relations, President Donald Trump confirmed Monday night that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is engaged in direct conversations with the Cuban regime to reach a deal amid the worst energy crisis the island has faced in decades.

”We’re Starting to Reach a Deal”

“We’re talking to Cuba right now, and Marco Rubio is talking to Cuba right now, and they should make a deal absolutely because it’s really a humanitarian threat,” Trump declared to reporters aboard Air Force One.

The president’s words represent a significant escalation from Rubio’s statements in Munich just two days ago, where the Secretary of State suggested economic opening could be “a possible way forward.” Now, Trump confirms those words translated into active negotiations.

Cuba: “A Failed Nation”

Trump didn’t mince words about Cuba’s situation: “Cuba is, right now, a failed nation and they don’t even have fuel so that the planes can take off. They’re blocking their runway.”

The description matches the reality Cubans are living. As we recently reported, satellite images show a 50% drop in nighttime light across the island, and blackouts simultaneously affect over 56% of the territory.

A Promise to Cuban Americans

In a move with deep implications for the diaspora, Trump directly addressed the Cuban American community: “We have a lot of great Cuban Americans and they’re going to be very happy when they can go back and greet their family members and do things that they should have been able to do a long time ago.”

Military Intervention? “I Don’t Think It’s Necessary”

Asked about the possibility of a military operation similar to the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, Trump avoided a direct answer but left the door open: “It wouldn’t be a very difficult operation, as you can imagine. But I don’t think it’s necessary.”

The Context: An Unprecedented Energy Blockade

The negotiations come at a critical moment. Since Venezuela stopped sending oil to Cuba in January and Trump signed an executive order threatening tariffs on any country selling fuel to the island, Cuba has been left virtually without energy sources.

Meanwhile, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has expressed willingness to negotiate “as equals” without surrendering sovereignty, while accusing Washington of driving an “energy blockade.” Spain joined on Monday the small group of countries — alongside Mexico, Chile, and Russia — sending humanitarian aid to the island.

The question hanging in the air is clear: are we witnessing the beginning of a new chapter in US-Cuba relations, or another maximum pressure maneuver? The coming weeks will tell.