Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned Cuba on Wednesday against trying to obtain weapons that could strike the U.S., telling service members at the Guantanamo Bay naval station that such a move would invite a confrontation Havana could not withstand. “It would be unwise for the government of Cuba to try to procure or get access to the types of weapons that can reach into this base or the American homeland,” Hegseth said. “They would be inviting the kind of confrontation not only do they not want, they could not stand.
“No country on Earth can match the capabilities of the United States of America. We seek no enemies. We seek no foes. We’re a great friend, and we hope, soon, we can be a friend of the leadership of the government of Cuba. “For now, let’s see what happens. But the Department of War will give the commander in chief every single option he needs inside that contingency.” Hegseth’s visit to Guantanamo Bay is the latest high-profile trip by a senior U.S. official to the communist island as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Havana.
