President Donald Trump declared late Sunday that Cuba is on the brink of collapse following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. He emphasized that Havana can no longer depend on Caracas for its security and oil supplies.
Trump highlighted that Cuba’s future is now intricately linked to Maduro’s removal and Venezuela’s diminished capacity to support its allies in the region. When questioned about potential U.S. intervention in Cuba, Trump confidently responded, “I think it’s just going to fall. I don’t think we need any action. It looks like it’s going down for the count.”
The president made these remarks to reporters on Air Force One, following Saturday’s dramatic capture of Maduro and his wife. The operation, tied to a narco-terrorism conspiracy, has sent ripples across allied governments in the area. Cuban officials have reacted by organizing rallies to support Venezuela and condemning the U.S. for infringing on sovereignty.
During the flight back to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, President Trump engaged with journalists, offering insights into the geopolitical developments. U.S. officials have stated that Cuba’s security forces were pivotal in maintaining Maduro’s grip on power. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that Cuban operatives were deeply involved in Venezuela’s internal intelligence and security efforts, overseeing Maduro’s protection and ensuring loyalty within his administration.
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while in flight on Air Force One, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, as returning to Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
U.S. officials say Cuban security forces played a central role in keeping Maduro in power. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuban operatives effectively ran Venezuela’s internal intelligence and security operations – including personally guarding Maduro and monitoring loyalty inside his government.
Protestors rally outside the White House, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Washington, after the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a military operation. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
“It was Cubans that guarded Maduro,” Rubio said. “He was not guarded by Venezuelan bodyguards. He had Cuban bodyguards.”
Cuba’s government acknowledged Sunday that 32 Cuban military and police officers were killed during the American operation in Venezuela, marking the first official death toll released by Havana. Cuban state media said the officers had been deployed at the request of Caracas and announced two days of national mourning.
Trump confirmed Cuban casualties while traveling back to Washington.
“A lot of Cubans were killed yesterday,” he said. “There was a lot of death on the other side. No death on our side.”
Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores face ‘worst case scenario’ in U.S. custody, according to expert, with federal indictments on drug and weapons charges. ( Juan BARRETO / AFP via Getty Images)
Trump also took aim at neighboring Colombia, accusing its leadership of fueling drug trafficking into the U.S.
“Colombia is very sick, run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,” Trump said, adding that the country, “is not going to be doing it for a very long time.”
President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro speaks during a military ceremony commemorating the 200th anniversary of the presentation of the ‘Sword of Peru’ to Venezuelan independence hero Simón Bolívar on November 25, 2025, in Caracas, Venezuela. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
He suggested the U.S. was prepared to act against narco-trafficking networks operating by land and sea, citing recent interdictions.
Trump also revived his long-standing focus on Greenland, arguing the Arctic territory is critical to U.S. security amid growing Russian and Chinese activity.
“We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security,” Trump said. “Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.”
Trump has framed Saturday’s operation as part of a broader effort to reassert U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere, invoking the Monroe Doctrine and warning that hostile regimes can no longer rely on one another for survival.
Maduro is set to be arraigned in federal court in New York on Monday.
