President Trump predicted the U.S. could have a peaceful takeover of Cuba, saying the island nation’s communist government is in talks with administration officials because it is in “big trouble.”
“The Cuban government is talking with us because they are in a big deal of trouble, as you know. They have no money, they [have] nothing,” Mr. Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for Texas on Friday.
“Maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba,” Mr. Trump said. “We could very well have a friendly takeover of Cuba.”
He said, “They are in big trouble and we could very well do something good, I think, very positive for the people that were expelled, or worse, from Cuba, that live here. You know we have people living here that want to go back to Cuba.”
The comments were Mr. Trump’s most explicit about how he sees the future of Cuba, which has been under severe pressure from the U.S. The Trump administration has used various tactics to put the Cuban economy in a chokehold.
Earlier this week, the administration announced plans to allow fuel shipments from American energy companies to private Cuban businesses. The thinking is that the move would make Cuba more reliant on the U.S. and boost the island’s private sector while simultaneously undermining its communist leadership.
Also this week, Cuban border guards shot and killed four Cuban nationals who departed from the U.S. in a boat. Though it is unclear if the incident will impact the administration’s plans.
The U.S. seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro last month, and the administration’s control of Venzuela’s oil shipments, has put more pressure on Cuba’s economy.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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