By Al Mayadeen – Jan 24, 2026
The Trump administration is weighing a full oil blockade on Cuba to trigger political change, with backing from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reports say.
The administration of US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a full oil import blockade on Cuba as part of efforts to pressure for a change in government in the country, according to a report by Politico on Friday.
Citing three sources familiar with the matter, the report said that the proposal is being promoted by hardline critics of the Cuban government within the Trump administration and has the support of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
No final decision has been made, but the measure could be part of a range of options presented to President Donald Trump to pressure the Cuban government to step down, the sources added.
The move, if implemented, would mark a significant escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against the country.
US escalates regime change efforts in Cuba after Maduro abduction: WSJ
Emboldened by its military operation in Venezuela, the Trump administration is now seeking to engineer regime change in Cuba by the end of 2026, targeting insiders within the Cuban government who may be willing to collaborate, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
Citing unnamed US officials, the WSJ report says that Washington believes Cuba’s economy is on the verge of collapse, due to long-standing shortages, power outages, and the loss of subsidized oil from Venezuela.
‘The Yankee Empire Is in Irreversible Decline’: Cubans Respond to Trump’s Threats
The kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of Cuban citizens, has reportedly emboldened US policymakers to pursue a similar operation in Havana.
“I strongly suggest they make a deal. BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” Trump threatened in a January 11 post, announcing a halt to oil and financial support for Cuba.
Militarized strategy, economic pressure
Although no official military action has been announced, the US sees the Venezuela operation as a model, and Trump’s inner circle reportedly views the overthrow of Cuba’s government as a top priority.
Senior US officials are pressuring Cuba through sanctions, targeting its overseas medical missions, and threatening oil cut-offs, with intelligence assessments predicting that Cuba could run out of fuel within weeks. The goal is to paralyze the economy and trigger internal collapse or elite defection.
“Cuba’s rulers are incompetent Marxists… they have destroyed their country,” a White House official claimed, in a statement that echoes the long-standing US hostility toward Cuban sovereignty.
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