President Donald Trump has expressed his intentions to bring about a “great new life” for Cuba, marking the Caribbean nation as his next focus following the resolution of conflict with Iran.

At the Shield of the Americans Summits on Saturday, the 79-year-old Republican leader emphasized his plans to turn attention toward Cuba. Speaking in Florida, he outlined his perspective on the island’s current state, noting, “Cuba is at the end of the line. They’re out of money, lacking oil, and governed by a flawed ideology and regime.”

Reflecting on his long-standing views, Trump stated, “Cuba has been a concern for a long time. Even as a child, I heard about the troubles in Cuba. It’s a disaster.”

According to Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is actively negotiating with Cuban officials, and he expressed confidence in reaching an agreement with the nation “very easily.”

Promising a brighter future for Cuba’s 11 million inhabitants, Trump remarked that the country is “in its last moments of life as it is” and assured that change is on the horizon.

He promised the island of 11 million people a ‘great new life’ as the country is currently ‘in its last moments of life the way it is,’ Trump said on Saturday. 

The country’s citizens currently face fuel shortages and power outages up to 15 hours per day, among other hardships, USA Today reported. 

It mainly got its oil from Venezuela, but since the January 3 US strike on the South American country, where US forces captured President Nicolás Maduro, Trump has shut off Cuba from the oil.

President Donald Trump has promised Cuba will have a ‘great new life’ as he sets his sights on the Caribbean island next after the US is finished with Iran 

‘It’s been bad for a long time… As a little boy, I’d be hearing about Cuba. Cuba is a disaster,’ Trump said Saturday

The Trump Administration has already begun making moves to make Cuba dependent on America, USA Today reported. 

In late February, the administration allowed US petroleum products to be sold directly to Cuba. This breaks the 1960 US embargo on the island, which is still in place today, which bans most American exports to Cuba. 

There are also reports that Rubio is in talks with the former leader Raúl Castro’s grandson, USA Today reported. 

Trump said at the time that Rubio was in talks with officials at a ‘very high level.’ 

‘Maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba,’ he said. 

President Miguel Diaz-Canel has promised to reform the island, but has done so in the past with little progress.  

Tensions between the US and Cuba heightened last week, when a Cuban Coast Guard member killed four people in a Florida-registered speedboat after the vessel crossed into Cuban waters. 

The Cuban Embassy said on X that the incident unfolded on Wednesday morning when the speedboat approached one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel in the Villa Clara province.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in talks with Cuba and Trump believed a deal could be ‘very easily’ made, the president said 

The country’s citizens currently face fuel shortages and power outages up to 15 hours per day

The embassy said Border Guard Troops confronted the speedboat, leading the crew of the Florida-registered boat to open fire on the Cuban personnel.

The commander of the Cuban vessel was injured in the shootout, while four people on the Florida speedboat were killed and six more were injured.

Cuban officials said the six injured on the Florida-registered speedboat were evacuated and have received medical assistance. Their nationalities are not known.

The embassy added in a statement: ‘In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region.’ 

Rubio responded to the incident, saying: ‘Cuba needs to change, it needs to change dramatically.’ 

However, Trump made it clear, Cuba will not be on the forefront of American politics until after the Iranian war is complete, as that’s ‘our focus right now,’ Trump said at the summit. 

The Republican has vowed to hit Iran ‘very hard’ on Saturday, he said in a Truth Social post. 

‘Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran’s bad behavior, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time,’ he wrote. 

President Miguel Diaz-Canel has promised to reform the island, but has done so in the past with little progress

However, a leaked spy report by the National Intelligence Council warned that Trump’s military action could be disastrous. 

In just one week, tensions have dramatically risen in the region, starting with a joint military operation conducted by the US and Israel against Iran.

The strikes took out Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Iran retaliated by targeting US military bases in the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Trump has stood firm on the military attack, but a report completed by the NIC just a week before raised doubts about the US’s ability to overthrow the regime.

The NIC is a federal government agency that reports to the Director of National Intelligence. NIC members bridge 18 intelligence agencies with policymakers to provide analytical assessments.

Three people familiar with the findings told the Washington Post that Iran would likely respond to Khamenei’s death by following protocols to preserve the regime. Sources said it was ‘unlikely’ that Iran’s opposition would seize control.

Khamenei’s successor has yet to be named. Iran’s Assembly of Experts and high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have been tasked with naming his replacement.

Ayatollah’s son, Mojitaba Khamenei, is rumored to be assuming the role, but Trump has previously called him ‘incompetent’ and a ‘lightweight.’