Trump Revives Warship Plan for Cuba as Rubio Calls for CIA Partnership

President Donald Trump told a Friday rally in South Florida that US warships returning from the Iran conflict would stop near the Cuban coast. He described a scenario where vessels pass within 50 yards of the shore before sending Secretary of State Marco Rubio to negotiate. This statement marks a return to a military intervention idea Trump first proposed earlier in the year but had not discussed in recent months.

Rubio reinforced the aggressive posture in a social media post addressed to Cubans seeking political change. He declared that the current moment is the time for action. The post cited corruption and broken promises as drivers for change. Rubio encouraged an alliance with the CIA, describing it as a discrete partnership. He likely intended the word discreet, indicating a private or secret arrangement, rather than separate.

The timing of these remarks coincides with midterm elections. Voters in key districts have expressed concern over rising prices for gas and groceries linked to the Iran war. Trump responded to a specific question from the crowd about Cuba during the event. He suggested that the US would take advantage of the ship movements to assert influence on the island.

Havana responded with mockery on Friday. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio posted on X that the United States was engaging in public recruitment for intelligence services. He compared the agency's effort to sell its services to marketing a tube of toothpaste. The Cuban official suggested that desperation or misery within the CIA drove the need for such visibility.

Trump and Rubio have maintained a hardline stance since May. At that time, they raised the prospect of military action following the announcement of criminal charges against former leader Raul Castro. Trump stated in the Oval Office that he believed he would be the president to intervene in Cuba. Rubio characterized the island as a national security threat due to its ties with US adversaries. He expressed doubt that a peaceful resolution was possible with the current government.

Diplomatic efforts have been inconsistent over the past few months. Rubio and other senior officials met with Cuban counterparts to explore better relations. The US side emerged unimpressed from those talks and subsequently imposed more sanctions. In his UN General Assembly speech last month, Trump claimed Rubio was deep into negotiations. He predicted a deal would be reached without military necessity. However, the two governments clashed at the UN earlier this week over a vote condemning the US economic embargo.

Cuba has faced an economic and energy crisis since 2020. Its gross domestic product has shrunk. The population of 10 million has endured blackouts, food shortages, and inflation. Hundreds of thousands of residents have emigrated, with many moving to the United States. Rubio noted in a September interview that the country lacks a functional economy and is led by a stagnant revolution.