President Donald Trump described Cuba as a 'failed nation' and refused to rule out military action to topple its government, while acknowledging ongoing talks. This comes amid a severe energy crisis in Cuba triggered by US policies blocking oil imports. Cuban officials criticized the remarks, highlighting the humanitarian impact of the embargo.
On February 16, 2026, President Donald Trump described Cuba as a 'failed nation' while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One and refused to rule out military action. 'They should absolutely make a deal, because it's a real humanitarian threat... We'll see how it all turns out, but Cuba and us, we are talking. In the meantime, there's an embargo. There's no oil. There's no money. There's no anything,' Trump said.
Cuba's Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío responded that US officials often deny their aggression's role in Cuba's difficulties, but it seems they do not listen to their president. Trump's statement comes amid an executive order on January 29, 2026, threatening tariffs on countries exporting oil to Cuba, worsening the energy crisis that began with the suspension of Venezuelan subsidies after a US military operation in Caracas on January 3.
Cuban historian Rafael Rojas, in an interview with Confidencial, warned that migratory pressure toward a mass exodus or social explosion are reasonable expectations in the coming weeks and months. Cuba produces domestically 40% of its needed fuel but has lacked external supplies since December 2025, according to President Miguel Díaz-Canel. This impacts tourism, remittances, health services, education, and transportation, drawing comparisons to the 1990s 'Special Period.'
Cuba has proposed expanding cooperation with the US on hemispheric security issues, such as illegal migration and counternarcotics, in exchange for economic relief. However, reformist sectors on the island advocate resuming a reform agenda postponed since 2011, while the government insists on 'closing ranks' and resisting. Countries like Spain plan to send humanitarian aid via the UN, and activists in Mexico City protested the blockade, with Ivon Guerra stating that solidarity among peoples is the most powerful antidote.
Rojas noted that 32 Cuban soldiers died in the Caracas operation, and Nicaragua suspended visa-free travel for Cubans, ironically aligning with Trump's policies. The Cuban government aims to hold out until the US midterm elections in November 2026.
