Trump says US warships could stop near Cuba after returning from Iran

United States naval vessels returning from the Middle East could make a stop near Cuba, President Donald Trump said during a campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, reviving an interventionist posture toward the Caribbean nation ahead of midterm elections.

Military Vessels and Diplomatic Pressure in Florida Rally

Speaking at the Alico Arena on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, Trump responded to an audience question about Cuba by outlining a potential maritime maneuver. The president suggested that warships finishing operations in the Middle East might pass by Cuba, with one vessel stopping roughly 50 yards (45 meters) off the coast before the deployment of Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalize diplomatic arrangements.

“We’re going to make a little stop,” Trump told the crowd at the Fort Myers rally. “Actually, what we’re going to do with Cuba is we’re going to return from Iran. Those beautiful ships will go right past Cuba. We’ll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the shore. They’ll put their hands up. And then we’re going to send Marco Rubio in to finish closing the deal.”

The remarks came as voters expressed economic anxieties concerning the impact of the U.S. war with Iran on consumer prices, ranging from gasoline to groceries. Both Trump and Rubio have maintained hardline positions regarding Cuba’s government, with Trump previously indicating that the island nation would be “the next” in terms of foreign intervention once hostilities involving Iran diminished.

Escalating Rhetoric and Past Warnings from Washington

The proposal echoes statements made earlier in the year. In May, Trump and Rubio raised the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Cuba, a threat amplified after the government announced criminal charges against former Raúl Castro. At the time, Trump told reporters at the White House that while past administrations contemplated action against Havana over the decades, “it looks like I’ll be the one to do it.”

Rubio asserted in separate remarks to reporters that Cuba has constituted a national security threat for years due to its alliances with U.S. adversaries. While maintaining that the current administration prefers a peaceful resolution, Rubio expressed skepticism regarding the feasibility of a diplomatic agreement with Havana’s leadership.

Shortly following Trump’s Florida remarks, Rubio posted on social media that “now is the time” to pursue political change in Cuba, encouraging individuals “to create the change they want through a discreet partnership with the CIA.” Rubio’s public commentary on the island had been limited since a Sept. 29 appearance on Fox News, where he characterized the Cuban economy as non-functional and reliant on an outdated revolutionary ideology.

Sanctions and Economic Strain in Havana

The renewed diplomatic and military posturing follows a breakdown in bilateral communications. U.S. officials and advisers to Trump met with Cuban representatives in recent months to explore normalized relations, but negotiations stalled, prompting Washington to impose additional economic sanctions.

During his address to the United Nations General Assembly in September, Trump stated that Rubio was deeply engaged in negotiations with Cuba and would not permit adversarial foreign powers to threaten the United States from nearby waters. Days later, Trump told reporters he anticipated a negotiated settlement without the necessity of military force, pointing to severe economic difficulties within the country.

Cuba has faced severe economic and energy crises since 2020. The nation’s gross domestic product has contracted, leaving its population of roughly 10 million people to contend with widespread power outages, food shortages, and inflation. These conditions have triggered recurrent protests and the emigration of hundreds of thousands of citizens.

US Seeks UN Opposition to Cuba Embargo Vote

The exchange between Washington and Havana coincided with diplomatic clashes at the United Nations, where the United States sought opposition ahead of the annual vote condemning the decades-old U.S. economic embargo against Cuba. The campaign rally in Fort Myers took place just days before midterm elections across the United States.