The United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, left the question open regarding the next steps of the Donald Trump administration towards Cuba by asserting that Washington will have "many options" regarding the island and stating that he is "looking forward to what comes next."
Hegseth made the statements during an exchange with journalists from the Jungle Operations Training Center in Panama, after being asked directly if there was a military option for Cuba. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
" As I mentioned earlier, and I believe you have seen what has happened in other cases, all options are on the table, including military options," he replied.
But this time, the head of the Pentagon did not just reiterate that formula, and after discussing the position of the United States in the hemisphere and the approach of several regional governments to Washington, he concluded his response with a phrase that directed attention to what might happen next.
"And that, without a doubt, also applies to Cuba. So we will have many options there and look forward to what is to come," Hegseth stated.
The comment came with another warning specifically directed at Havana, as the secretary stated that Cuba should take note of how Trump is willing to wield American power and reminded them of the vast difference in capabilities between the two countries.
"I believe that Cuba would do well to pay attention to President Trump's willingness to assert the strategic prerogatives of the United States. Certainly, they are no match for the United States of America," he said.
Hegseth also did not rule out the most extreme scenario and explicitly confirmed that military options remain on the table, although he did not specify what concrete actions Washington is considering or under what circumstances they could be carried out.
The message about Cuba appeared within a broader reflection on the balance of power in the Western Hemisphere. Hegseth mentioned Russia, Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela while discussing the influence of adversarial actors to Washington in the region.
"If you observe what foreign influence has been able to do in our hemisphere, it has been quite limited: the Russians, the Cubans, the Iranians, and Venezuela," he stated.
As a contrast, the approach of Latin American countries towards the United States and the Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition, known as A3C and also referred to as Shield of the Americas, a regional security cooperation bloc, is noteworthy.
"The way countries have approached the United States, the A3C, and this alliance demonstrates that they understand where the balance of power lies, especially in this hemisphere," he stated.
The selection of Panama as the backdrop for the statements added a military component to the message.
Hegseth was there visiting facilities where U.S. and allied forces train, and he publicly showcased his tour of the Jungle Operations Training Center.
"No environment is too hostile, no terrain too difficult," the official wrote in reference to the military participating in the exercises, whom he described as joint and allied forces.
The tone used in Panama extends a series of messages sent by Hegseth to Cuba since June.
During his visit to the Guantanamo Naval Base, he asserted that the future of Cuba was in the hands of the U.S. president and the leadership of the island, while promising that the Department of War would be prepared "for any possible eventuality."
That same trip left other warnings. Hegseth called on the regime not to threaten American citizens or territory and summarized the message with a "don't get involved in that game."
He also referred to Nicolás Maduro's case as a warning to Cuban authorities, recalling that the Russian defenses and the Cuban forces protecting the Venezuelan leader could not prevent the American operation that ultimately led to his capture.
Furthermore, when questioned about the possibility of a similar operation against Miguel Díaz-Canel, Hegseth included among the potential scenarios a capture or elimination of the Cuban leader, without indicating that a decision had been made in that regard.
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