U.S.-Cuba Tensions Deepen: Rubio Says Chance Of Peaceful Deal ‘Not High’

BreakingBusinessU.S.-Cuba Tensions Deepen: Rubio Says Chance Of Peaceful Deal ‘Not High’ByAntonio Pequeño IV,Forbes Staff. Pequeño is a breaking news reporter who covers tech and more.Follow AuthorMay 21, 2026, 07:14pm EDTTopline President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested Thursday that strained relations with Cuba may not improve through diplomacy, commenting on the island nation as the Trump administration has placed more economic and political pressures on it as the country’s leadership has denied allegations it is hosting foreign adversaries and terrorists.Rubio and Trump have suggested relations with Cuba may not improve.Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty ImagesKey FactsRubio told reporters Thursday that Trump’s preference is “always a negotiated agreement that's peaceful,” but noted, “With Cuba, the likelihood of that happening, given who we’re dealing with right now, is not high.”Rubio accused Cuba of acquiring weapons from Russia and China, as well as hosting agents from the two countries, noting the designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism brought back by Trump in 2021.On Wednesday, Rubio published a video message to Cuba offering the country $100 million in food and medicine on the condition it is distributed by charitable groups, saying the country’s elite, not U.S. economic embargoes and blockades, are to blame for Cuba’s energy, food and medicine crises.Trump said in an Oval Office appearance Thursday, “Other presidents have looked at doing something for 50, 60 years, and it looks like I'll be the one that does it,” regarding action on Cuba, adding he “would be happy to do it.”Asked if the deployment of a massive U.S. aircraft carrier to the southern Caribbean was meant to intimidate the Cuban government, Trump responded, “No, not at all,” saying it was his priority to help the Cuban people. if (!window.cnxel) { window.cnxel = {}; window.cnxel.cmd = []; var iframe = document.createElement('iframe');...