Trump aims to topple Cuba’s communist regime by the end of the year
The administration of President Donald Trump is actively working toward political change in Cuba and hopes to persuade Cuban officials to negotiate an end to the island’s decades‑old communist government by the end of this year, according to news reports.
Senior U.S. officials believe Cuba’s government is more vulnerable than it has been in decades after losing key economic support from Venezuela, and are quietly looking for insiders within the Cuban system who might be willing to work with the United States on a transition.
While no detailed plan has been formalized, U.S. intelligence assessments suggest Cuba’s economy is under severe strain and that shortages of basic goods, medicines, and energy are widespread following the near collapse of Venezuelan oil shipments. The Trump administration has tightened pressure on Havana by limiting oil and money flows and targeting economic sectors tied to the government.
The strategy draws on the administration’s recent actions in Venezuela, where U.S. forces captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in early January. U.S. officials see that operation, and the concessions from Venezuela’s interim leadership, as a possible model for encouraging change in Cuba — though the challenges differ because Cuba’s political system lacks existing opposition movements.
To identify potential Cuban officials who might be open to negotiating, representatives from the administration have been meeting with Cuban exiles and civic groups in cities such as Miami and Washington, D.C.
In public statements, President Trump has warned Cuba’s leadership that it should seek an agreement with the United States before conditions worsen. In a Truth Social post in January, he wrote that “there will be no more oil or money going to Cuba — zero!” and urged Cuban authorities to “make a deal before it is too late.”
Cuban leaders have so far rejected U.S. demands. President Miguel Díaz‑Canel stated that formal talks are not underway and that any future dialogue must respect Cuba’s sovereignty and be based on mutual respect under international law.
Efforts to change Cuba’s political direction come amid broader tensions between the U.S. and Havana, including disagreements over sanctions, economic aid, and the future of U.S.‑Cuba relations more broadly.
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