Trump Says He Wants to Get Cuba Done and Would Consider a Week of Military Force

President Donald Trump said on Thursday, November 12, 2026, that he wants to "get Cuba done" before he leaves office, and that he would "certainly consider" using American military force against the island, including a campaign lasting about a week. It was the first time he has put a timeline on possible military action against Cuba.

The remarks came in a telephone interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on the Salem News Channel. Trump announced no order, no decision and no operation, but the comments mark a sharp escalation in his rhetoric toward the communist government in Havana.

What happened in short

President Donald Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday, November 12, 2026, that he wants to "get Cuba done" before he leaves office in January 2029, and that he would "certainly consider" a military campaign of about a week. He pointed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lead the effort. No order or operation has been announced.

What Trump said in the interview

Hewitt put the question to Trump directly. "If freeing Cuba requires military force before you leave office, will you order that military force?" he asked.

"Well, I want to get Cuba done before I leave, yeah," Trump replied. "And we have a very good, talented guy for Cuba named Marco."

Hewitt pressed him on what that could mean in practice. "So if it took a little bit of military force, a week campaign, you'd be okay with that?" he asked. Trump answered: "I would be, I would certainly consider that, yes."

Politico reported that the interview was the first time Trump had attached a timeline to the idea of intervention in Cuba. His current term ends in January 2029.

Rubio at the center of the Cuba effort

Trump pointed immediately to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose parents emigrated from Cuba, as the official who would lead the effort. Trump said Rubio "would love to do that" and added that he would like to see it happen as well.

Rubio has been the administration's most prominent voice on Cuba policy. Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has brought back a "maximum pressure" campaign against Cuba, leading to a breakdown in formal relations between the two countries.

On November 5, the Trump administration announced new sanctions targeting eight entities and two individuals connected to the Cuban regime's foreign military support and illegal revenue networks. The State Department also designated two China-based companies for allegedly exporting military equipment to Cuba in 2026.

How pressure on Cuba has built up this year

The interview is the latest step in a year of escalating pressure. In March 2026, Trump said he believed he would have "the honor of taking Cuba" as the island's power grid collapsed. Earlier in the week of the interview, he said Cuba "will fall fairly soon" and that the United States would help it "on a humanitarian basis."

Following a United States military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture and removal of regime leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3, 2026, Washington restricted oil shipments to Cuba. The island has faced severe fuel and power shortages since then.

Trump signed Executive Order 14380 on January 29, 2026, setting out the administration's Cuba policy. On March 19, the head of United States Southern Command, General Francis Donovan, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that American troops were not rehearsing an invasion of Cuba.

On October 28, 2026, the United Nations General Assembly voted 130 to 17, with 25 abstentions, to call for an end to the United States embargo on Cuba. On Thursday, November 12, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez rejected a joint declaration on Cuba issued by G7 foreign ministers in Paris.

What has not happened yet

For all the force of the language, nothing has been set in motion by the interview itself. The White House has announced no military planning for Cuba, and Trump did not explain what "getting Cuba done" would mean in practice, or what would trigger any action.

As of early Friday, November 13, no response from the Cuban government to the interview had been reported. The comments came as the administration is also dealing with the ongoing war with Iran, which began on February 28, 2026. Trump said in the same interview that his team is watching Cuba "very closely."

The remarks also came a day after Trump said the United States does not need a deal with Iran and pulled Vice President JD Vance from the Iran file. Together, the two statements show a president increasingly willing to talk openly about using American power in the Western Hemisphere. For continuing coverage of the administration's foreign policy, see our latest US news updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Trump say about Cuba?

In a Hugh Hewitt radio interview on Thursday, November 12, 2026, Trump said he wants to "get Cuba done" before he leaves office, and that he would "certainly consider" a military campaign of about a week if freeing Cuba required it.

Has Trump ordered military action against Cuba?

No. Trump announced no order, no decision and no operation. The White House has announced no military planning for Cuba, and in March the head of United States Southern Command told senators that American troops were not rehearsing an invasion.

When does Trump's term end?

Trump's current term ends in January 2029. Politico reported that the interview was the first time he has put a timeline on possible action against Cuba.

Who would lead the Cuba effort?

Trump pointed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose parents emigrated from Cuba, saying Rubio "would love to do that."

Why is the United States pressuring Cuba now?

The administration has run a "maximum pressure" campaign since January 2025, imposed new sanctions on November 5, 2026, and restricted oil shipments to Cuba after the January 3, 2026, operation in Venezuela that removed Nicolas Maduro. Cuba has faced severe fuel and power shortages.

Has Cuba responded to Trump's remarks?

As of early Friday, November 13, no response from the Cuban government to the interview had been reported. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez did reject a G7 joint declaration on Cuba on Thursday, November 12.

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