President Donald Trump said Monday that the US "may stop by Cuba" after he is done with his war on Iran, the latest such remarks indicating that the adversarial island nation is high on his list of priorities.
"Cuba is a failing nation, and we're going to do this, and we may stop by Cuba after we're finished with this," Trump told reporters at the White House, referring to US military engagements against Iran. "Cuba is a nation that was ... horribly run for many years," he added.
"We have a lot of great Cuban Americans, all of whom just about voted for me, and they were treated very badly. In many cases, family members have been killed. They've been beaten up and mugged and terrible things happened in Cuba," he added.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in remarks that aired Sunday that there is "no justification" for the US to launch an attack on his country, warning that any such move would be met with resistance.
There is no "justification for the United States to launch a military aggression against Cuba," he told NBC News, adding that Cubans are prepared to defend their country even "if we need to die."
His remarks came amid heightened tensions between Havana and Washington, as the US tightens economic pressure on the island nation through sanctions and political measures.
Diaz-Canel criticized the sanctions as "genocidal and cruel," arguing they have intensified the country's economic and energy crisis.
Cuba has faced a prolonged economic crisis marked by fuel shortages, rolling blackouts and limited access to food and medicine. Cuban officials attribute much of the hardship to decades-long US sanctions, while US officials argue that structural economic issues are to blame.
Recent developments have further strained the situation, including reduced oil shipments from Venezuela and ongoing supply disruptions, contributing to nationwide power outages.
Despite the tensions, both sides have acknowledged limited contact. Cuba's deputy foreign minister said discussions on easing tensions remain at a "very preliminary" stage.
Trump's remarks, apparently threatening to order military strikes on a third country since January, stand in contrast to his rhetoric on the campaign trail for a second term, when he said would not start new wars but would instead end them.
