Trump Says He Will Have 'Honour of Taking Cuba' Amid U.S.-Imposed Blackout

President Trump declared he expects to have "the honour of taking Cuba" and claimed "I can do anything I want" with the island nation, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on March 17, 2026. His statements came just hours after Cuba experienced a nationwide electricity blackout—the third major grid failure since December—caused by a U.S.-imposed oil blockade that cut off fuel supplies to the country. The Trump administration's energy blockade has plunged Cuba into deepening economic and humanitarian crisis, with the entire island left without power. Trump's explicit threats of a potential takeover signal escalating U.S. pressure on Cuba's communist government amid the country's widening turmoil and raised alarm about potential military or regime-change actions. Multiple outlets including Newsday and East County Magazine corroborated the statements, with Cuban officials condemning the remarks as "imperialist aggression."

"I believe I will have the honour of taking Cuba. I think I can do anything I want with it." — Statement made to reporters during Oval Office availability when asked about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Cuba following the third nationwide blackout