'I Don't Think We'll Need the Military': Trump Dismisses Cuba Action Speculation and Mentions Deal

Donald Trump said on Saturday, 26 September, that the United States and Cuba would make a deal and that he did not think military action would be necessary, as US-Cuba tensions continue to centre on pressure against Havana and reported preparations for possible action.

The remarks followed a question from a Fox News reporter about whether the US had any military action planned against Cuba. Trump said Washington wanted to help Cuba and open the country to 'our people', describing the island as 'failing very badly'.

Donald Trump's Cuba Deal Comments Follow UN Warning

The comments came after Trump renewed his criticism of Cuba during his address to the United Nations General Assembly on 22 September. He said his administration was seeking 'a fundamental change in the situation in Cuba' and described the communist regime as being under 'the biggest pressure they've ever been under'.

Trump also called Cuba 'an absolutely failed state' and said his administration was seeking fundamental change. He vowed to see the country 'fall', adding, 'Communism will never be coming to America, but freedom will be coming to Cuba.'

Those remarks provide the immediate backdrop to his latest comments. Trump is now pointing to a possible agreement while continuing to describe severe pressure on Havana.

US-Cuba Tensions Include Reports Of Military Planning

The latest comments also followed a report that the US Army Reserve was laying the groundwork for potential military action around Cuba over the next four months. The report said there was no indication that Southern Command, along with police forces, medical personnel and other support units, had been deployed.

The reported preparations do not establish that military action has been ordered. A US Southern Command spokesperson said, 'Due to operational security concerns, we do not disclose details or comment on US operational movements or potential deployment timelines associated with current or future operations, contingencies, or planning.'

The spokesperson added that Southern Command 'continuously coordinates with the Joint Force to assess a range of potential requirements' across its area of responsibility in support of assigned missions.

The reported planning comes alongside the Trump administration's economic pressure on Cuba and calls for political reforms. That leaves the military question unresolved, even as Trump says he does not think military action will be needed.

Cuba Responds As Trump Raises Possibility Of A Deal

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez also addressed the US pressure during his General Assembly remarks. He condemned the US oil blockade against Cuba, describing it as an 'act of collective punishment' that was being used to launch a humanitarian crisis.

Rodriguez nevertheless said Havana remained open to talks with Washington. 'We have always been and will always be prepared for dialogue with the government of the United States in order to try to find solutions to the various bilateral differences that we have,' he said.

He added that negotiations would have to be based on 'sovereign equality' and take place 'without preconditions'. Rodriguez also addressed the possibility of US military action, saying he hoped it 'never happens'.

For now, Trump's comments place a possible Trump Cuba deal alongside continuing pressure and reported military planning around the island. Nothing in the supplied reporting confirms that military action has been ordered, while both sides have publicly referred to the possibility of dialogue.