Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signed an order directing the expulsion of a Cuban diplomat from the United States after a confrontation at the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz said.
The diplomat, Richard Tur de la Concepción, serves as the first secretary of Cuba’s UN mission. He is accused of shoving an American diplomat and attempting to take the official’s phone during the altercation at UN headquarters.
“He’s gone. He is going to be on a plane to Havana within the next 24 hours,” Waltz told Fox News.
“You lay a hand on an American here in the United States, President Trump, Secretary Rubio and myself, we’re not gonna stand for it,” the ambassador said.
In other words, at least one member of the Cuban delegation will soon be heading back to Havana.
Mike Waltz said on “Hannity” that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had signed documents to expel a Cuban diplomat accused of shoving an American representative and attempting to take his phone.
“He’s gone. He is going to be on a plane to Havana within the next 24 hours,” Waltz said.
The… pic.twitter.com/4TBHh4sl6i
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 28, 2026
A fitting souvenir might be a T-shirt reading, “I got in Mike Waltz’s face and all I got was this stupid T-shirt,” or something along those lines.
In short, his diplomatic stay in the United States appears to be coming to an abrupt end.
The dispute followed a heated United Nations debate over the decades-old U.S. embargo on Cuba. During the exchange, Ambassador Waltz accused Cuba’s government of benefiting its ruling elite while ordinary citizens bear the cost.
His remarks prompted Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla to interrupt. The minister approached the podium, called Waltz a liar and challenged the American ambassador publicly.
Waltz responded forcefully, saying Parrilla would not intimidate him in the United States in the same way the Cuban government allegedly intimidates political prisoners.
“And I’m the representative of the United States of America,” Waltz shouted. “Back up!”
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“Back away. This isn’t Havana. You’re not going to intimidate me,” Waltz continued. “Do you understand who you’re dealing with?”
NEW: @USAmbUN Mike Waltz just got into a shouting match on the floor of the general assembly with Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla
“He’s not going to intimidate me in the United States of America, like he tries to intimidate political prisoners,” Waltz… pic.twitter.com/DgZZ4v8w7w
— Josh Christenson (@jchristenson_) October 27, 2026
Concepción will apparently soon have his answer—and his next destination will be Havana.
As Waltz and the Cuban official traded heated words, Concepción allegedly reached for the phone belonging to J.P. Freire, a spokesman for the U.S. ambassador who was recording the confrontation.
The New York Post characterized the episode as an “assault.”
One of the Cuban regime’s “diplomats” tried to intimidate UN staff into cutting our microphones as I exposed the regime for the world to see. When one of my American diplomats noticed what was happening, that same regime “diplomat” tried to intimidate him, too. https://t.co/kmBlpMlPcY
— Ambassador Mike Waltz (@USAmbUN) October 27, 2026
Cuban officials have not yet publicly responded to the expulsion order.
The White House, following the incident with Waltz, his team, and the Cuban delegation, posted a cartoon image of the showdown captioned, “Not in the United States of America.”
Concepción won’t be in the United States of America at all.
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