The spokesperson for the Department of State, Tommy Pigott, appeared this Friday before CBS News to respond to the network's exclusive report on an internal memo from the U.S. Army suggesting military planning related to Cuba, and he declined to confirm or dismiss the possibility of armed action against the island.
When the journalist directly asked him if Washington was preparing for military action in Cuba, Pigott did not answer either yes or no.
“I’m not necessarily talking about Cuba, but in general terms”, he said.
And he added: "We will always be guided by the national interest of the United States. And, of course, the president has a wide range of options available to ensure that our national interests are upheld."
When asked whether he dismissed or acknowledged the possibility of military intervention, Pigott was equally evasive: “No, look, as I said, we will always be guided by the national interest of the United States.”
Yes, he stated that there is a “clear national security interest” concerning the Cuban regime.
Pigott concluded the interview with a message that summarizes the administration's stance: "We are ready to work with those who want to see this island on a better path towards a free, happy, and prosperous Cuba. So far, the regime has not been willing to take the steps to make this happen."
According to research by CBS News, the document requests to continue military planning for the Caribbean region and assesses the availability of six types of formations —including a medical brigade, a military police brigade, and an engineer battalion— for Southern Command within a period of 90 to 120 days.
Although the memorandum does not mention Cuba by name, sources speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed to the network that the planning is focused on the island.
Cuba as a "failed state" and "nexus of terrorism"
Pigott described Cuba as "an island that is essentially moving towards the status of a failed state that is very close to our shores" and accused the regime of acting as "a nexus of political terrorism in the world," including links to groups within the United States that "published a report with the locations of ICE facilities and U.S. military bases calling for agitation and resistance."
"We have a clear national security interest when it comes to the Cuban regime. And look, we want to see a Cuba again where Cubans can be free, happy, and prosperous. That is our objective," he stated.
The energy crisis and the 100 million in aid
When the journalist suggested that U.S. sanctions exacerbate the shortage of fuel and electricity, Pigott categorically rejected that interpretation: "The reason for the fuel shortage is the regime's own incompetent policies."
The spokesperson recalled that when Venezuela sent free oil to Cuba "under Maduro's illegitimate regime," the Cuban government "sold 60% of that supply and kept the money."
He also announced that the United States has offered 100 million dollars in humanitarian aid, conditioned on it reaching "directly to the Cuban people, not to the regime so that it can keep it and divert it."
A week of maximum pressure
Pigott's appearance is part of a sustained escalation that took place throughout September.
Last Monday, Trump described Cuba as an "absolutely failed state" before the UN General Assembly and claimed that the regime would "fall" as the Cuban delegation was leaving the room.
The next day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that there are figures in the regime "with whom we can never work because their hands are stained with blood."
In parallel, two littoral combat ships arrived at the Guantánamo Naval Base earlier this month and more than 1,300 Marines strengthened their training in Puerto Rico weeks prior to the leak.
From Havana, Deputy Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío declared this Friday that "there are no advances" in the contacts between Cuba and Washington.
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