Trump says he believes he'll be 'taking Cuba,' calling it an 'honor'
USA TODAY
Trump said it would be an \
President Donald Trump said he believes he'll have "the honor of taking Cuba," an escalation of language as the United States continues to put pressure on the island nation approximately 90 miles south of Florida.
"I do believe I'll be...having the honor of taking Cuba. That’s a big honor," Trump told reporters at the White House on March 16. "...Whether I free it, take it — think I could do anything I want with it, you want to know the truth. They're a very weakened nation right now."
Cuba has seen increased economic struggle in recent months after the U.S. cut off oil supply to the island following the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3. Trump repeatedly warned Cuba to make a deal with the U.S. or face losing oil access. In the months since Maduro's capture, Venezuelan oil shipments to the country have weaned, rendering planes, cars and people without oil in many cases.
That struggle hit a breaking point on March 16 with the collapse of Cuba's national electric grid, plunging 10 million people into darkness amid the oil blockade that has worsened the island's already outdated generation system. It is the latest blackout in a series of outages, including one sparking a rare violent protest in the communist-run country over the weekend.
Trump's March 16 comments came amid reports that the U.S. and Cuba are in conversation and could soon reach a deal, though it is not yet publicly known what that deal may look like. USA TODAY previously reported that it could include a relaxation on Americans' ability to travel to Havana, an off-ramp for President Miguel Díaz-Canel, the Castro family remaining on the island and deals on ports, energy and tourism. The U.S. government has also floated dropping some sanctions.
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