People walk through the city center, following an armed incident involving a Florida-registered speedboat and a Cuban patrol, in Santa Clara, Cuba, February 26, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys PerezUS President Donald Trump on Friday raised the prospect of a "friendly takeover" of Cuba, telling reporters at the White House that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was dealing with the issue at a "very high level." They have no anything right now, but they're talking with us, and maybe we'll have a friendly takeover of Cuba." Trump mentioned the large Cuban community, saying a takeover of Cuba by the U.S. could be "something good ... very positive" for people who had been expelled from the country. "We have people living here that want to go back to Cuba, and they're very happy with what's going on," he said.

Source: Irish Independent February 27, 2026 20:42 UTC