WASHINGTON/MEXICO CITY: US President Donald Trump on Sunday urged Cuba to negotiate a deal with Washington “before it is too late,” warning that Venezuelan oil and financial support to the island would cease immediately. Trump made the comments in social media posts as tensions escalated following a recent US military operation in Venezuela that removed President Nicolás Maduro and disrupted long‑standing ties between Cuba and Caracas.
Read More: Cuba defiant after Trump says no more Venezuelan oil or money
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared: “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA — ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.” He did not specify the terms of a possible deal but framed the move as part of a larger shift in US policy toward Cuba and its allies. Trump also reposted a separate message suggesting that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio could become Cuba’s president, commenting: “Sounds good to me!”
#Cuba no recibe ni ha recibido nunca compensación monetaria o material por los servicios de seguridad que haya prestado a algún país.
A diferencia de #EEUU, no tenemos un gobierno que se presta al mercenarismo, el chantaje o la coerción militar contra otros Estados.
Como todo… pic.twitter.com/BnifpEjyIg
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) January 11, 2026
Cuba has historically relied on Venezuelan oil under a long‑running arrangement that helped sustain its energy needs amid decades of US embargoes. The recent US actions, including the seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers, have effectively cut off that supply, heightening economic pressure on Havana’s fragile economy.
Cuban officials responded defiantly. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said Cuba has never received payment for providing security services to other nations and condemned Trump’s rhetoric as unjustified. He stressed Cuba’s sovereign right to import fuel from any willing supplier, rejecting claims that Havana had engaged in mercenary or coercive actions. Rodríguez also accused the US of behaving in a “criminal” manner that undermines peace and global stability.
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The intensifying rhetoric marks a further deterioration in US‑Cuba relations at a time when regional dynamics are shifting rapidly after Venezuela’s leadership change. Both sides appear to be positioning ahead of broader diplomatic and geopolitical negotiations.