President Donald Trump said the United States could take control of Cuba immediately after the current conflict with Iran ends [1].
The statement signals a potential shift in U.S. foreign policy toward a more aggressive posture regarding the Cuban government. Such a move would represent a significant escalation in tensions between Washington and Havana.
Trump spoke during a dinner on May 1, 2026, at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida [1], [2]. He said the U.S. could achieve this objective by sending the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to a position approximately 100 yards [1] from the coast of the island.
According to Trump, this action would be the next objective for the U.S. once the conflict with Iran is resolved [3], [4]. He said he wants to "finish the work" against the Cuban regime [3].
Reports on the timing of the potential takeover vary slightly among sources. Some reports state Trump said the U.S. would take control "immediately" [2], [5], while others note he said the U.S. would take the island "almost immediately" [6].
Trump said, "Tomaría Cuba de inmediato" [2]. He said, "Tomaremos Cuba casi inmediatamente" [6].
“"I want to finish the work."”
The proposal to deploy a carrier strike group within 100 yards of Cuba's coast would be a provocative military maneuver. By linking the timeline to the resolution of a conflict with Iran, Trump is framing the Cuban government as a secondary target in a broader strategy of regional regime change.
