Trump Says He Wants to "Take Care of Cuba" Before Leaving Office

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday in a radio interview that he wants to "take care of Cuba" before his presidency ends. The remark comes shortly after the US government imposed several sanctions on the island nation, whose economy and energy sector have been in crisis for years.

Speaking with radio host Hugh Hewitt, Trump was responding to a question about whether he is considering "liberating Cuba" through military intervention. "I want to take care of Cuba before I leave," the president said. He added that Washington is watching the situation "very closely" and described Cuba as a country that is doing very badly. In his words, it is "fundamentally a failed place", whatever one wishes to call it.

Sanctions and US demands

The recently imposed US sanctions have dramatically worsened Cuba's long-running economic and energy crisis, as well as the humanitarian situation in the country. Washington has indicated that it expects economic and political change in Cuba. The US also wants the Cuban government to distance itself from major powers such as China and Russia, citing US national security interests.

Presidential term

Trump's second term is scheduled to end in January 2029. The source does not specify what concrete steps the president might consider regarding Cuba, and he did not directly confirm any military action in the interview.