On Friday on the White House lawn, as he prepared to board Marine One for a trip to Texas, President Donald Trump answered reporters’ questions about relations with Iran and Cuba.
Trump said the Cuban government was “talking with us” and suggested the United States “could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba.” He framed the prospect as “very positive” for people he said were “expelled or worse.”
Trump said he has been pushing for regime change in Cuba over the last two months through economic and diplomatic pressure. He described Cuba as “a failing nation” and said it was in “deep trouble,” asserting it lacks money, oil, and food and “want our help.”
Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio is handling the effort “at a very high level.”