U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that his administration will make "very soon" announcements regarding the embargo on Cuba, in statements to the press after landing at Joint Base Andrews, just hours after the Department of Justice revealed a formal indictment against Raúl Castro for the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996.
In response to a journalist's direct question about how much longer the embargo would remain in effect, Trump replied, "We'll see. We'll announce it quite soon."
The leader described the day as "a very big, very important day" and linked both events—the accusation against Castro and the future of the embargo—in a single message of maximum pressure on Havana.
"We have Cuba in mind. It has been a problem for many years," said Trump, who also stated: "We are freeing Cuba."
Trump described Cuba as “a bankrupt nation” that “has no oil, has no money, is falling apart,” and laid out the situation of the Cuban people starkly: “They have no means to live. They have no food. They have no electricity. They have no energy at all.”
At the same time, he ruled out a military escalation: "No. There will be no escalation. I don't think it's necessary. The situation is crumbling. It's a disaster. They have really lost control of Cuba."
The president highlighted the support from the Cuban American community — "they supported me by 94%, that's a pretty good level" — and emphasized the emotional weight of the moment: "They have been waiting for this moment for 65 years."
Trump also revealed the intense diplomatic and intelligence activity surrounding Cuba, noting that the CIA director was on the island "last week" —referring to the visit of John Ratcliffe to Havana on May 14— and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose parents are Cuban, is also involved: "We have a lot of experience in Cuba."
The statements come at the peak of a sustained pressure campaign. Since January 2026, the administration has imposed more than 240 sanctions against the regime. Additionally, Trump signed Executive Order 14404 on May 1, and Marco Rubio announced a second round of sanctions against 11 regime elites.
The embargo, established by President Kennedy in 1962 and codified in the Helms-Burton Act of 1996, can only be formally lifted by Congress, although the president has broad executive powers to modify travel, remittance, and trade regulations within the existing legal framework.
On Tuesday, Trump had already hinted at the tone of this offensive by stating that resolving the issue of Cuba “will not be difficult” and that he believed it was possible to reach a diplomatic agreement, although contingent on fundamental changes from the regime.
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