TRUMP has warned that Cuba is “going down”, telling reporters that the communist country is “ready to fall” without US military action.
After the dramatic capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, President Trump has issued a stark warning for another Latin American state.
Military intervention in communist Cuba won’t be needed, Trump said, because the state is “ready to fall” on its own.
He continued: “I don’t think we need any action. Looks like it’s going down. It’s going down for the count.”
Don’s warnings came as the captured Venezuelan tyrant prepared to appear in a US courtroom on Monday.
Maduro could face the death penalty if convicted.
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The limping leader made his way to a New York court, where he faces charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy.
The president claimed Cuba has “no income” after he toppled tyrant Maduro.
Trump said: “Cuba now has no income.
“They got all of their income from Venezuela, from the Venezuelan oil.
“They’re not getting any of it. Cuba literally is ready to fall.”
32 Cubans were killed in the US raid on Caracas, according to the island nation’s government.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that his forces had been protecting Maduro and his wife “at the request” of Venezuela – the countries are longstanding allies.
Trump’s warning followed comments from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who described Cuba as a “disaster” run by “incompetent, senile men” on Saturday.
He said: “If I lived in Havana, and I was in the government, I’d be concerned – at least a little bit.”
Rubio accused Cuba of “propping up” Maduro’s dictatorship on NBC’s “Meet the Press”, and warned Havana that its communist government is in “a lot of trouble”.
He said: “I don’t think it’s any mystery that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime – who, by the way, are the ones that were propping up Maduro.”
Trump also threatened military action against Colombia, and warned the new leader of Venezuela, she could face consequences “probably bigger than Maduro”.
The US president also reignited fears of US expansionism by insisting Washington “needs” Greenlandrefusing to rule out force to secure the strategically important Arctic territory.
During a phone interview with a reporter at The Atlantic Magazine, the US president said: “We do need Greenland, absolutely.”
He said that Greenland was “surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships”.
Last year, Trump tightened restrictions on Cuba, reversing Biden’s moves to ease pressure on the island nation.
It follows steps against Cuba in Don’s first term – these included banning cruise ship travel to the communist country in a bid to cut off cash.
The White House said that it will end “economic practices that disproportionately benefit the Cuban government, military, intelligence, or security agencies at the expense of the Cuban people”.