WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The United States is not looking at imminent military action against Havana despite President Donald Trump鈥檚 repeated and that American warships deployed in the Middle East for the Iran conflict could return by way of the island, U.S. officials say.
The officials involved in also told The Associated Press that they are not optimistic the communist government will accept an offer for tens of , two years of free Starlink internet access for all Cubans, and infrastructure support.
But they say Cuba has not yet outright refused the offer, which comes with , even after the Trump administration imposed new sanctions Thursday on Havana. The largest of those sanctions is against GAESA, or Grupo de Administraci贸n Empresarial S.A., a business conglomerate operated by the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks, say there is still time for the government to accept the offer. They cautioned, though, that Trump could change his mind at any time and that military options are still on the table.
The Treasury and State departments announced the sanctions after Trump signed an executive order last week expanding the administration鈥檚 authority to impose penalties on Cuba.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodr铆guez described the measures as 鈥渃ollective punishment鈥� and denounced the U.S. government鈥檚 鈥済enocidal intent against Cuba.鈥�
鈥淭hese actions rely on the assumption that the United States can impose its will on the world while threatening foreign citizens and businesses with illegitimate coercion,鈥� Rodr铆guez wrote on X.
Trump has suggested possible action against Cuba
Shortly after signing the order Friday, Trump gave a speech mentioning that 鈥淐uba鈥檚 got problems鈥� and may be in the offing.
He said one of the U.S. aircraft carriers on its way back from the Middle East could “come in, stop about 100 yards offshore, and they鈥檒l say: 鈥楾hank you very much. We give up.鈥欌��
One official involved in the discussions said the new sanctions authority was intended, however, to make clear to the Cubans that the Trump administration鈥檚 immediate goal is 鈥渘ot regime change, but changing the regime鈥檚 failed policies.鈥�
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who has long taken a hard line against Cuba’s leadership, has said repeatedly that the country’s government has failed. He said this week that Cuba鈥檚 economic model doesn鈥檛 work and those in power 鈥渃an鈥檛 fix it.鈥�
鈥淎nd the reason that they can鈥檛 fix it is not just because they鈥檙e communist. That鈥檚 bad enough,鈥� he told reporters Tuesday at the White House. 鈥淏ut they鈥檙e incompetent communists. The only thing worse than a communist is an incompetent one.鈥�
Rubio is visiting Rome and Vatican City, on Thursday in part to discuss Cuba, where the Catholic Church has significant influence.
US officials don’t know if Cuba will accept conditions but say dialogue is open
One U.S. official said it is an open question as to whether Cuba鈥檚 leadership is willing to meet U.S. conditions, which include the release of political prisoners, an end to political and religious repression, and an opening to American private sector investment.
At the same time, the official said that could help both countries given Cuba鈥檚 proximity to the U.S. The United States sees a national security threat in what the official called increasing influence on the island by China and Russia, including .
Cuban officials are adamant, though, that Cuba’s internal governance is not up for negotiation.
鈥淣egotiations on issues like regime change or removing the president are out of the question,鈥� Cuban Ambassador to the United Nations Ernesto Sober贸n Guzm谩n told reporters last week. 鈥淣o internal affairs of Cuba are on the table.鈥�
Guzm谩n also told The Associated Press last month that Havana will not abide by any American 鈥渦ltimatums鈥� to release political prisoners and that Cuba’s leaders are 鈥減reparing for all scenarios鈥� if Trump makes good on threats to intervene.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about military action in Cuba.
AP reveals State Department officials who led delegation to Havana
Contacts between the Trump administration and Cuba have increased, including a meeting earlier this year in the Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis between Rubio and Ra煤l Guillermo Rodr铆guez Castro, who is believed to carry significant influence in Havana. He is the grandson of former Cuban leader Ra煤l Castro.
More recently, two senior State Department officials 鈥� Jeremy Lewin, who is in charge of all U.S. foreign assistance, and Michael Kozak, the top U.S. diplomat for Latin America 鈥� led a delegation to Havana on April 10 and met with the grandson, according to one U.S. official familiar with the meetings.
The top State Department participants had not been previously reported. It was the first U.S. government flight to land in Cuba other than at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay since 2016, during former President Barack Obama鈥檚 period of rapprochement.
That meeting was 鈥減rofessional and cordial鈥� but did not produce definitive results, leaving the U.S. delegation skeptical that the Cuban leadership is willing to consider even modest reforms that could ameliorate deteriorating humanitarian conditions, that official said.
U.S. officials have often rejected Cuban complaints that the American embargo on the island and, more recently, the Trump administration’s energy blockade are responsible for the hardships.
But following the energy blockade, imposed after the U.S. in January removed Nicol谩s Maduro as leader of Venezuela, which was Cuba鈥檚 main source of energy.
Cuban officials have denounced the U.S. rejection of their complaints.
鈥淭raveling 4,500 miles to meet with the Pope, supposedly to request his 鈥榞ood offices鈥� in delivering U.S. humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people through the Church, while at the same time claiming that the blockade does not exist, is a blatant insult to human intelligence,鈥� Guzm谩n said Thursday in a statement.
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Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Aamer Madhani and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
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