Trump Doubles Down on Cuba With Sweeping Sanctions Based on Dubious 'Threats'

President Donald Trump has once again turned up the heat on Cuba, signing an executive order that expands an already punishing sanctions regime against the island. Citing vague and unsubstantiated "national security threats" tied to Cuba’s relationship with Iran and other so-called "malign actors," the Trump administration is ratcheting up economic pressure on a nation still reeling from decades of US embargoes.

The order targets "entities, persons, or affiliates" that support Cuba’s security forces, are involved in corruption or human rights abuses, or are connected to the Cuban government in any material way. Yet the administration has offered no specifics about who these individuals or groups are, leaving the door wide open for broad and arbitrary enforcement.

This move comes on top of a 65-year-long US embargo that has devastated Cuba’s economy and severely restricted access to essentials like food, medicine, and fuel. Cuban officials estimate the blockade cost their economy nearly $5 billion in just 11 months between 2022 and 2023. The United Nations has repeatedly condemned the embargo as illegal and harmful.

Trump’s sanctions also revive punitive measures that former President Joe Biden had rolled back, including relisting Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. This designation was originally imposed during the Reagan era amid a US-backed campaign of terrorism and covert operations aimed at toppling Cuba’s revolutionary government.

Experts warn the new sanctions are dangerously broad. Georgetown Law’s Peter Harrell noted on social media that virtually any foreign person or company doing business with Cuba could now face sanctions. This risks driving out the remaining international investment and aid crucial to Cuba’s survival.

The timing is no coincidence. Trump’s expansion of sanctions follows his aggressive moves against Venezuela and Iran, two countries Cuba is allied with. His recent statements about "taking" Cuba echo imperialist ambitions from the 19th century and signal a willingness to use force or coercion.

This latest salvo underscores the Trump administration’s pattern of authoritarian overreach and disregard for international norms. It punishes ordinary Cubans while offering no credible evidence of real threats to US security. The humanitarian and political costs will be severe, deepening suffering on the island and escalating tensions across the region.

We will keep tracking this story as it develops, exposing the lies and holding power to account. The Cuban people deserve better than endless sanctions and empty threats.