Trump and Secretary of State Rubio issue remarks on Cuba amid rising tensions

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio each made remarks about Cuba on Friday, Oct. 23, that could heighten diplomatic friction between the United States and the Caribbean nation. Rubio posted on X, urging "those who seek to create positive change in Cuba – now is the time," a message later echoed in a reply attributed to the CIA, which called for a "discreet partnership" with the agency.

At a campaign rally in Florida, Trump said the United States would address Cuba "on our way back from Iran," describing a planned naval stop as "a little stopover" and suggesting that a U.S. vessel would pause about 50 yards off the Cuban coast before "sending Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal."

Rubio previously told reporters at a United Nations General Assembly press conference in September that Cuba's current governance model discourages investment and that the country needs a system that gives the private sector confidence in profit recovery.

The remarks follow months of heightened tension, including economic measures such as a blockade and a May indictment by the Department of Justice of former Cuban President Raúl Castro and five other nationals on charges related to alleged plots against Americans.