WASHINGTON — Jeb Bush praised his former political rival, President Trump, for severely weakening Iran and limiting Tehran’s ability to fuel instability across the region, while cautioning that the regime’s activities may have increased the threat posed by Cuba to the United States.
Speaking at an event hosted by United Against Nuclear Iran, Bush highlighted the danger of Iran’s Shahed drones, noting that some had reportedly been sent to Cuba before the war in Iran began.
“I also want to applaud President Trump’s efforts,” said Bush, who serves as chairman of UANI. “We have decimated Iran’s capability to make mischief in the region. There’s no doubt about it.”
He added that while Iran’s military has not been entirely dismantled, much of its capacity has been badly damaged. “Their military has not been decapitated completely, but 80% of its capabilities in terms of building these devices and building other missiles, and their navy has been wiped out, and I applaud the Trump administration for the work that they’ve done,” Bush said.
Shahed drones have posed a persistent challenge for the United States in the Middle East during the war in Iran because they are relatively inexpensive to produce yet capable of carrying out powerful attacks.
Iran has also provided the drones to Russia during its bloody war in Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have since developed more effective defenses against them.
Bush said the US has “very good defense capabilities” for countering Iranian drones, but warned that large swarms can still overwhelm even advanced air-defense systems.
“I also want to point out that the press reports are that there are 300 of these in Cuba,” Bush said, referring to the Shahed drones.
Those drones are believed to have been sent to Cuba before the war in Iran earlier this year, Fox News reported.
Trump imposed an oil blockade on Cuba earlier this year, sparking an energy crisis within the island nation. Since then, Cuba has liberalized its communist economy by privatizing state-run companies and opened up the banking and energy sector to foreign investment.
The regime has also been hit with protests and internal turmoil over the energy crisis. On Monday, for example, Cuba endured a nationwide power blackout, its third major one of the year.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel vowed “impregnable resistance” against the US as Trump carries out his “maximum pressure” campaign.
Trump has demanded that Cuba “make a deal before it’s too late” and has sought deep reforms.
Other Floridians, including Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), joined Bush in the UANI event to similarly underscore the threat of Iranian drones.
“This is the face of warfare,” Gimenez emphasized, noting how artificial intelligence is enhancing the threat. “This is how war is going to be carried out in the future, and it’s being carried out right now.”
The Department of War has placed an emphasis on boosting American drone manufacturing capabilities. Trump recently suggested he was open to cutting a drone deal with Ukraine.
