President Donald Trump, 79, endorsed the idea of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, 54, becoming Cuba’s president in social media posts, signaling potential plans for regime change following U.S. military action in Venezuela.
Trump reposted a comment on Truth Social stating that Rubio would become president of Cuba, adding, “Sounds good to me!” The president made multiple posts about Cuba on Sunday after conservative columnist Marc Thiessen suggested the Cuban government’s streak of survival might end under Trump’s administration.
Rubio’s parents immigrated from Cuba in the late 1950s, and the secretary of state has been a vocal advocate for regime change in both Cuba and Venezuela for years. He currently serves in multiple high-profile roles, including secretary of state, national security adviser, and acting U.S. archivist. He also briefly led the U.S. Agency for International Development.
The president’s comments came after the U.S. launched airstrikes to seize Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Trump subsequently put Rubio in charge of Venezuela after the U.S. took control of the country. The administration then threatened Cuba, cutting off resources the island nation had received from Venezuela for years.
Trump stated in a Truth Social post that there would be no more oil or money flowing to Cuba from Venezuela. He wrote that Cuba had lived on large amounts of oil and money from Venezuela for many years, and in return provided security services for the last two Venezuelan dictators.
The president added that Venezuela now has the most powerful military protection in the world and suggested Cuba make a deal before it was too late. He called Cuba a failing nation and said his administration wants to surround the U.S. with good neighbors.
Shortly after the U.S. took control of Venezuela, Rubio issued a stark warning to Cuba during a press conference. He stated that if he lived in Havana and worked in the government, he would be concerned at least a little bit. The secretary of state has been a Cuba hawk throughout his political career, consistently pushing for regime change in both countries.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel responded to the Trump administration’s threats with defiance. He said Cuba was prepared to defend itself to the last drop of blood and declared that Cuba is free, independent, and sovereign.
K.T. McFarland, who worked under Michael Flynn in the first Trump administration, appeared on Fox Business to discuss the situation. She said Cuba would be starving in about a week’s time without Venezuelan resources. McFarland stated that Cuban leaders would not have money to feed their people and suggested this created a good negotiating position for the U.S.
McFarland said the situation was personal for Rubio and that participating in a change in Cuba would be a lifetime fulfillment for him and the entire Cuban-American community. She noted that Cuba would soon lack gasoline and other essential resources.
The U.S. has sought to overthrow the Cuban government for decades, and the Trump administration has already set its sights on the island nation as a potential target following its operation in Venezuela. Cuba had provided security services for Venezuelan dictators and received oil and money from Venezuela for years before the U.S. intervention.
Republican strategist Mike Madrid told Politico that Rubio’s 2028 presidential ambitions could be affected by his role in Cuban policy. Madrid suggested that while many Latinos in the GOP are impressed with Rubio, some operatives are waiting to see the outcome of his latest foreign policy assignment.
Madrid said what may look like the president supporting Rubio as a competent successor may actually result in him carrying the weight of unpopular actions in coming years. He stated there was a greater likelihood of that outcome than not.
Rubio has transformed from a bitter Trump foe to one of the president’s most trusted aides. His multiple high-profile roles have made him the subject of jokes within and outside the Trump administration, though he has embraced the attention.
Last week, Rubio joked on social media that he was not being considered for vacant head coach and general manager positions at the Miami Dolphins, his home team. He quipped that his focus must remain on global events and the archives of the United States.
Vice President JD Vance will host a meeting on Wednesday with officials from Denmark and Greenland, including Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt. The meeting will take place at the White House and will also include Rubio.
The White House and State Department did not comment on Trump’s posts about Rubio potentially leading Cuba. The president’s suggestion comes as his administration pursues an aggressive foreign policy aimed at reshaping governments in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Trump stated that Venezuela now has American protection and emphasized that Cuba would receive zero oil or money from its former ally. He thanked readers for their attention to the matter in his social media post.