Trump says Cuba is going to ‘fall pretty soon’
The president has said it is ‘just a matter of time’ before the US turns to Cuba after finishing its war in Iran
US President Donald Trump said Friday Cuba was next on his agenda after Iran, predicting that the communist-run island, crippled by a US energy blockade, is “gonna fall pretty soon”.
“They want to make a deal so badly,” Trump told CNN in a phone interview, a day after suggesting that he would turn to an unspecified project for Cuba after the war against Iran.
“We’re really focused on this one right now. We’ve got plenty of time, but Cuba’s ready – after 50 years,” he added, explaining that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be his point man on Cuba.
“He’s doing some job, and your next one is going to be, we want to do that special Cuba,” Trump said.
Both Trump and Rubio – the son of Cuban immigrants – have made no secret of their desire to bring about regime change in Havana following their overthrow of Washington’s other bete noire in the Caribbean – Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
“We want to fix, finish this one [the war in Iran] first – but that will be just a question of time before you and a lot of unbelievable people are going to be going back to Cuba,” Trump had said a day earlier, at a White House reception.