President Donald Trump told supporters at a rally in Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, that U.S. warships could stop near Cuba as they return from the war with Iran. Responding to a question from the crowd, the president suggested that the military presence could facilitate a resolution led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The remarks revive a concept the president first introduced earlier in the year. The administration has previously signaled the possibility of military intervention in Cuba, particularly after filing criminal charges against former leader Raúl Castro in May. Secretary Rubio has categorized the island nation as a national security threat due to its relationships with U.S. adversaries.
During the Friday rally, Trump stated that U.S. ships would stop roughly 50 yards off the Cuban coast, at which point he anticipated the Cuban government would "raise up their hands." He added that he expects the two countries will eventually "make a deal" and that he does not believe a full-scale military conflict will be necessary because the Cuban government is "failing very badly." Following the speech, Secretary Rubio posted on social media that it was "the time" for those seeking change in Cuba to enter a "discrete partnership with the CIA."
For people living in Cuba, the suggested "stopover" by warships represents a shift from the diplomatic negotiations Rubio and other aides held with Cuban officials in recent months. While the administration previously imposed new sanctions after those talks failed to produce results, the mention of military positioning suggests a change in the U.S. posture off the coast. The impact for Cubans remains tied to the ongoing oil blockade, which has limited the fuel available for the country’s power grid.
The precedent for these comments stems from the administration’s earlier actions regarding Venezuela and the war in Iran, which Trump cited as evidence of the U.S. military’s $1 trillion equipment investment. The next steps involve the upcoming midterm elections, where voters have voiced concerns over how the war in Iran has influenced the prices of gas and groceries. While Trump stated he anticipates a deal, he did not provide specific dates for when warships might be redirected toward the Caribbean.