Trump revives Cuba military intervention idea after Iran war

President Donald Trump told a South Florida rally on Friday that U.S. warships returning from the Iran war could stop near Cuba, reviving his proposal for potential military intervention in the island nation. He suggested one ship would pause off the coast before Secretary of State Marco Rubio "finishes up the deal." Trump first floated the idea earlier this year and reintroduced it in response to a crowd question, days before midterm elections where voters have cited war-related price hikes on goods. Rubio, a longtime Cuba hardliner, posted that "now is the time" for action and urged partnership with the CIA, though he has not detailed any operation. The administration has imposed more sanctions on Cuba after unimpressive talks with officials, while Trump told the U.N. last month that Rubio was "deep into negotiations." Cuba faces an economic crisis with blackouts, shortages, and mass migration since 2020, and the U.S. and Cuba recently clashed over Washington's decades-long embargo.