White House pressure on Cuba mounts as island fights power cutUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US President Donald Trump renewed pressure on Cuba which is also dealing with its latest mass power cutHAVANA - Washington heaped pressure on Cuba's communist authorities Tuesday to allow free-market reforms as the impoverished island scrambled to recover from a nationwide electricity blackout. So they've got some big decisions to make," Rubio, a Cuban-American and vociferous critic of the country's ruling party, told reporters at the White House. President Donald Trump, who just Monday had said he would "take" Cuba, added: "We'll be doing something with Cuba very soon." Trump told reporters Monday. "I do believe I'll be...having the honor of taking Cuba," Trump said.

Source: Bangkok Post March 18, 2026 01:20 UTC