Trump warns Cuba 'will be next' amid deepening crisis
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Washington: US President Donald Trump predicted Cuba's imminent collapse, calling it a "failing country" under "bad and corrupt leadership," while signaling openness to oil shipments to ease civilian suffering.
"Cuba’s gonna be next… Cuba’s a mess," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. He pledged US support for Cuban Americans and others, adding, "We will be there to help it out."
Addressing potential fuel aid—including from Russia—Trump said, "I told them if a country wants to send some oil to Cuba right now, I have no problem with that." He downplayed geopolitical fallout: "Whether it’s Russia or not… it doesn’t bother me much. It’s not gonna have an impact."
Trump emphasized benefits for ordinary Cubans needing "heat and cooling," but insisted it won't save the regime: "Whether or not they get a boat of oil, it’s not gonna matter. Cuba’s finished."
The comments reflect a dual strategy of pressuring Havana while offering limited humanitarian relief, as Cuba grapples with fuel shortages, blackouts, and economic woes exacerbated by US sanctions.
(Inputs from IANS)