By SUNTV Global Channel | January 12, 2026
US President Donald Trump has escalated tensions with Cuba, vowing to cut off all oil supplies and financial flows to the communist-run island following the dramatic removal of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, Havana’s long-time ally.
In a strongly worded post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump warned Cuban leaders to “make a deal” quickly or face severe economic consequences.
“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!” Trump declared. “I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”
Trump accused Cuba of surviving for years on subsidised Venezuelan oil and cash in exchange for providing security services to successive Venezuelan governments. He claimed that arrangement had now ended following a US special forces operation earlier this month that resulted in Maduro and his wife being seized and dozens of security personnel—many reportedly Cuban—killed.
The US president further asserted that Washington now effectively controls Venezuela’s oil sector through a naval blockade, a claim that has heightened fears of broader regional instability.
Despite the threats, Trump offered no concrete details on what kind of deal he expects from Havana or what concessions the United States would offer in return.
Speaking later to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said his priority was protecting people who fled Cuba or were “forced out under duress,” particularly those now living in the United States, though he did not explain how this would be addressed through negotiations with Cuba.
Cuba Pushes Back
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel responded sharply, rejecting Trump’s ultimatum and reaffirming Cuba’s sovereignty.
“Cuba is a free, independent and sovereign nation. No one tells us what to do,” Díaz-Canel wrote on X, adding that Cubans were ready to defend their country “to the last drop of blood.”
Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez also criticised Washington’s stance, stressing that Cuba has the right to import fuel from any country willing to sell, without interference from US sanctions.
Rising Pressure, Old Rivalries
Trump’s latest warning comes amid worsening economic conditions in Cuba, where shortages of fuel, food and foreign currency have intensified. Last week, Trump claimed the island was “ready to fall,” arguing that the loss of Venezuelan oil would make it difficult for Havana to hold out.
The US embargo on Cuba, in place since 1962, has long shaped the island’s economy. Since 2000, Venezuela has been a critical lifeline, supplying heavily subsidised oil under agreements initiated by former Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez.
On the streets of Havana, reactions were mixed. While some residents dismissed Trump’s rhetoric as familiar posturing, others expressed hope that both countries could find a peaceful path forward.
“Presidents have talked like this for decades,” said 65-year-old retiree Mercedes Simon. “They talk and talk, but Cuba is still here.”
Wider Global Signals
Trump’s comments on Cuba follow a series of aggressive foreign policy signals since Maduro’s removal. The US president—who openly sought the Nobel Peace Prize last year—has recently issued warnings to Colombia, Mexico, Iran and Greenland, unsettling allies and adversaries alike.
Some Republican lawmakers praised Trump’s hardline stance. Florida Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart said the Cuban government would not survive a second Trump term, predicting what he called the eventual “freedom” of the island.
As rhetoric intensifies, observers warn that further escalation could deepen regional tensions and worsen humanitarian conditions, particularly if oil supplies to Cuba are fully cut off.
— SUNTV Global Channel
