Trump brands Cuba an 'absolutely failed state' and predicts its government 'will fall' in UN speech, prompting walkout

During his address to the UN General Assembly on September 22, 2026, Trump called Cuba 'an absolutely failed state' and said its communist government 'is failing like never before, and it will fall.' He said his administration is seeking 'a fundamental change' in Cuba and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is involved in negotiations with Havana, while warning the U.S. will not allow a haven for foreign adversaries on its doorstep. The Cuban delegation walked out of the General Assembly hall in protest, and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez rejected the remarks as 'falsehoods' and 'slanders,' denouncing the U.S. embargo and energy restrictions as 'genocide and collective punishment.' The speech extends Trump's pattern of using international platforms for aggressive posturing and regime-change rhetoric.

“It's an absolutely failed state. It's failing like never before, and it will fall.” Quote verified against source