The Japan Times - Cuba 'next' on agenda, after Iran: Trump

"They want to make a deal so badly," Trump told CNN in a phone interview, a day after suggesting that he would turn to an unspecified project for Cuba after the war against Iran.

"We're really focused on this one right now. We've got plenty of time, but Cuba's ready — after 50 years," he added, explaining that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be his point man on Cuba.

"He's doing some job, and your next one is going to be, we want to do that special Cuba," Trump said.

Both Trump and Rubio -- the son of Cuban immigrants -- have made no secret of their desire to bring about regime change in Havana following their overthrow of Washington's other bete noire in the Caribbean -- Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

The US State Department's coordinator for Cuban affairs, Rob Allison, met recently in Havana with senior representatives of the Catholic Church, the US Embassy in Havana said Friday on X, without saying when the meetings took place.

The embassy posted a picture of Rob Allison and the US charge d'affaires in Cuba, Mike Hammer, meeting with Cardinal Juan de la Claridad and Bishop Arturo Gonzalez, president of the national bishop's conference.

The four discussed humanitarian aid sent by Washington to the island "and the need for change to improve the situation in Cuba," the embassy added.

- No oil tankers since January -

Trump has repeatedly said that he believes the Cuban regime is ripe for collapse.

In an apparent attempt to precipitate its demise, he imposed an energy blockade on the Caribbean nation.

The Cuban state has received no oil shipments since January 9, forcing airlines to curtail or suspend flights to the island and deepening a long-running economic crisis.

Havana accuses Trump of seeking to strangle Cuba's economy.

The island, under a US trade embargo since 1962, has for years been mired in a severe crisis marked by extended power cuts and shortages of fuel, medicine and food.

Washington recently eased its oil blockade slightly to allow private companies in Cuba to import small amounts of oil.

On Wednesday, two-thirds of the island suffered a blackout after a breakdown at the Antonio Guiteras power plant, the island's largest.

Power has since been restored to most households.

The Catholic Church has previously served as a mediator between Washington and the Cuban government.

Pope Francis negotiated a resumption of diplomatic relations with Washington under president Barack Obama in 2015, after decades of Cold War estrangement.

The Vatican also negotiated a deal between Havana and former US president Joe Biden, under which Havana released hundreds of political prisoners in return for being removed from a US list of state sponsors of terror.

Trump put Cuba back on the terror list on his first day back in power in January 2025.

S.Yamada--JT