Overview
- In a CNN call and later at the Shield of the Americas summit, President Donald Trump said Cuba is “gonna fall pretty soon” and described the island as “at the end of the line.”
- Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be his point person on Cuba, adding that the administration’s immediate priority remains the war with Iran.
- The U.S. Embassy in Havana said State Department Cuba coordinator Rob Allison met senior Catholic Church figures in Havana to discuss humanitarian aid and the need for change.
- Reporting across outlets says Cuba has received no state oil shipments since January 9 under tightened U.S. pressure, contributing to flight reductions and widespread power cuts, including a major outage after a breakdown at the Antonio Guiteras plant.
- Havana has rejected U.S. threats, with Cuban experts saying the country is prepared to defend itself, as Trump has recently floated options including a potential “friendly takeover.”