Cuba's blackouts and Trump's pressure campaign on the island

US pressure grew under Trump. In July 2025, the United States sanctioned President Miguel Díaz-Canel and other officials over human rights violations.^[15] In January 2026, Trump told Cuba's government to make a deal, and Díaz-Canel replied that no one dictates what Cuba does.^[16] As Mexico halted oil shipments, Trump declared a national emergency over Cuba and authorized tariffs on countries that sell it oil.^[17][3] He floated a "friendly takeover" of the island, said it was going to fall and said he believed he would have "the honor of taking Cuba."^[18][19][20]

Contacts between the two governments continued alongside the threats. Díaz-Canel said in March that the two governments had held talks, and he promised "impregnable resistance" to any US attempt to control the island.^[4][21] In May, CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Cuban officials in Havana, and in June the United States imposed new sanctions on Díaz-Canel.^[22][23] In October, the two countries clashed at the United Nations as Washington sought to sway the annual vote on its economic embargo.^[24] A Cuban delegation interrupted a speech by the US ambassador, Mike Waltz, the United States expelled a Cuban diplomat over the confrontation, and Cuba welcomed him home.^[6][7] The vote did not go Washington's way.^[25] At a campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, on October 23, Trump revived the idea of military intervention in Cuba once the Iran war was settled,^[26] while Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on those seeking change in Cuba to partner with the CIA.^[27]

The blackouts deepened as oil ran short. Islandwide outages hit in March, July, August and September 2026, and protests broke out over blackouts and food shortages.^{[5][28][29][30][31][32][33]} In October, the US Coast Guard intercepted a cargo ship it said was part of a "dark fleet" smuggling fuel to Cuba.^[34] In July, Cuba opened parts of its state-run economy to private firms as shortages worsened,^[35] and on November 5 the administration escalated its economic campaign, clearing the way for US sanctions on several crucial sectors of the economy and targeting China-based suppliers.^[36] The administration also prepared military options. In September, documents reviewed by CBS News showed US Southern Command exploring the availability of units, including a military police brigade, for possible action around Cuba within 90 to 120 days,^[37] and on November 12 Trump said he wanted to "get Cuba done" before he left office.^[38]