US President Donald Trump listens to reporters at the White House in Washington, DC, US, on May 8, 2026. (File photo: Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz)

Trump says Cuba is seeking help, will hold talks

US President Donald Trump had threatened that Cuba was "next" after the US military seized the leader of longtime Cuban ally Venezuela earlier this year.

· CNA · Join

Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (May 12) said Cuba was asking for help and "we are going to talk", without providing any more detail. 

"No Republican has ever spoken to me about Cuba, which is a failed country and only heading in one direction - down! Cuba is asking for help, and we are going to talk!!! In the meantime, I’m off to China!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

Representatives for the White House and the State Department could not be immediately reached for comment. Representatives for Havana also could not be immediately reached.

Trump had threatened that Cuba was "next" after the US military seized the leader of longtime Cuban ally Venezuela earlier this year, and has since imposed fresh financial sanctions and expanded others. His administration has also imposed a fuel blockade, curtailed US travel and remittances to the island nation and sought to dissuade regional allies from contracting Cuban doctors.

China, where Trump is travelling this week to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, has called on Washington to immediately end its embargo and sanctions on Havana.

Source: Reuters/rk

Sign up for our newsletters

Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox

Subscribe here

Get the CNA app

Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories

Download here

Get WhatsApp alerts

Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app

Join here