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US President Donald Trump on Friday suggested that “Cuba is next” in the sequence of US actions following recent military operations in Venezuela and ongoing attacks on Iran, remarks that immediately drew global attention and added to regional tensions.
Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative conference in Miami, Florida, Trump made the comment in an off‑the‑cuff manner, urging the media to “pretend I didn’t say that,” before repeating that “Cuba’s next.” He did not outline specific plans for military or political action but his remarks were widely interpreted as signaling future pressure on Havana.
The comments come after US forces raided Venezuela on January 3, ousting President Nicolás Maduro, and launched a series of large‑scale joint attacks with Israel on Iran beginning February 28. These operations have already heightened geopolitical tensions across multiple regions.
Cuba has been struggling under decades of US sanctions and a severe economic and energy crisis, with the United Nations highlighting fuel shortages that have pushed parts of the country toward humanitarian stress.
Earlier this month, Trump had said that Cuba was “going to fall pretty soon,” although at that time he noted that the administration’s main focus remained on the conflict with Iran.