Trump Says US Ships Will Pass by Cuba After Iran War, Assigns Rubio to Negotiate Deal
Posted on 10/24/26 at 12:57
President Trump proposed moving military vessels close to the Cuban coast, but did not announce an operation or explain the conditions of a possible negotiation with Havana.
President Donald Trump stated on Friday, October 23, that US ships will pass by Cuba after the war in Iran and that Marco Rubio will seek a deal with the island.
– Why it matters: Trump links for the first time in these statements the return of his ships from Iran with a possible action against Cuba, without presenting a concrete military plan.
Trump Proposes Sending Ships Near Cuba
BREAKING | Trump says US ships will «pass» by Cuba after the war in Iran.
«What we will do with respect to Cuba is pass by there on our way back from Iran (…) We will make one of them stop about 50 yards from the coast,» he said. https://t.co/hxIquzv07P https://t.co/kVA99RAhsV
— AlbertoRodNews (@AlbertoRodNews) October 23, 2026
During an electoral rally in Fort Myers, Florida, Trump described how he imagines the passage of US vessels in front of Cuban territory.
«We will return from Iran, those beautiful ships, and pass by Cuba,» the president told his supporters.
He also proposed that a vessel could stop about 50 yards (approximately 45 meters) from the Cuban coast.
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According to the president’s account, after this approach, he would send Secretary of State Marco Rubio to negotiate an agreement.
– The fact: Trump mentioned a distance of just 45 meters from the coast, but did not identify ships, dates, or military orders.
– The limit: His words describe a presidential intention, not an officially announced naval operation.
Marco Rubio Would Have the Mission to Negotiate with Havana
“We will return from Iran, those beautiful ships will pass by Cuba”: Trump speaks about the island again
Watch the video in the first comment 👇 https://t.co/tMzbR3c1Zb
— CiberCuba – News from Cuba 🇨🇺 (@CiberCuba) October 23, 2026
Trump addressed the future of Cuba in response to a question at an electoral meeting on the west coast of Florida.
«Don’t worry. We will stop in Cuba on our way back from Iran. We will make a small stop,» the president assured.
Trump presented Rubio as the person in charge of resolving the situation through a potential agreement with the Cuban authorities.
«Simply» putting Rubio there and he would resolve the issue, Trump maintained, also praising the head of US diplomacy.
– What’s missing: Conditions, participants, and calendar for a negotiation related to the naval approach described by Trump are not known.
These statements come as Washington maintains sanctions against companies linked to the Cuban government and restrictions aimed at limiting its energy supply.
Trump Recalls Operation in Venezuela While Increasing Pressure on Cuba
The president also used his intervention to highlight the US operation that ended with the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.
Trump assured that the US was able to impose itself militarily in just one day and highlighted the subsequent cooperation to produce Venezuelan oil.
Maduro faces charges related to drug trafficking before US justice in New York, where his judicial process is pending.
– The difference: Trump mentioned Venezuela as a precedent, but did not confirm that the US will repeat a similar operation in Cuba.
Florida and the Cuban Community Enter the Political Scene
The announcement took place in Florida, a state that has the largest population of Cuban origin in the US and holds electoral relevance.
Additionally, Florida authorities announced this week an arrest warrant against former Cuban president Raúl Castro.
The measure is related to the shooting down of Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996, when Castro led the Cuban Armed Forces.
For now, the main uncertainty is whether the presidential statements will lead to diplomatic negotiations or new US military movements near Cuba.
– What’s next: Washington would have to clarify whether there is a planned naval mission and what type of agreement Rubio would seek with Havana.