By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-suggests-u-s-could-have-friendly-takeover-of-cuba Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Trump suggests U.S. could have 'friendly takeover of Cuba' Politics Feb 27, 2026 3:29 PM EST President Donald Trump said Friday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was negotiating at a high level with the Cuban government. "The Cuban government is talking with us" the president said in comments to reporters as he left the White House. "They have no money. They have no anything right now." He added: "We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba." READ MORE: 4 things to know about the deadly boat shooting in Cuban waters After his administration ousted Cuban ally and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump for weeks suggested Cuba was on the brink of collapse economically. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. He didn't say what he meant by a "friendly takeover" but suggested that after decades "of dealing with Cuba" something could happen that'd be "very positive" for Cuban exiles living in the U.S. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now By — Associated Press Associated Press
President Donald Trump said Friday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was negotiating at a high level with the Cuban government. "The Cuban government is talking with us" the president said in comments to reporters as he left the White House. "They have no money. They have no anything right now." He added: "We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba." READ MORE: 4 things to know about the deadly boat shooting in Cuban waters After his administration ousted Cuban ally and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump for weeks suggested Cuba was on the brink of collapse economically. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. He didn't say what he meant by a "friendly takeover" but suggested that after decades "of dealing with Cuba" something could happen that'd be "very positive" for Cuban exiles living in the U.S. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now