Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric against Cuba on Monday, saying he expected to have the ‘honor’ of ‘taking Cuba in some form’ adding ‘I can do anything I want’ with the neighboring country.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, the US president said: ‘I do believe I’ll be … having the honor of taking Cuba. That’s a big honor. Taking Cuba in some form.’
‘I mean, whether I free it, take it. Think I can do anything I want with it. You want to know the truth,’ he added.
The island is currently facing an island-wide blackout and an unprecedented economic crisis, exacerbated by an oil blockade the US imposed after capturing former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Cuba and the US recently opened talks aimed at improving their largely adverse relations, which have reached one of their most contentious moments in the 67 years since Fidel Castro overthrew what had been a close US ally.
According to the New York Times, removing Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel from office is a key US objective in the bilateral talks.
