US strategy for Cuba shifts from military option to focus on sanctions

Officials familiar with the matter say the Trump administration is shifting its Cuba strategy away from any Venezuela-style military or special forces operation and toward cutting off revenue to the Castro family and military leadership through sanctions. The approach, led in part by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, mirrors a similar recent economic-pressure pivot on Iran, where Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promised unprecedented isolation measures.

Unlike Venezuela or Iran, the U.S. has no alternative political leader ready to install in Cuba and no credible organized opposition, raising doubts about whether tighter sanctions can succeed where six decades of embargo have not. A U.S. official said the administration remains open to a new relationship with Cuba, blaming its current leadership as the only obstacle, and cited Cuban support for regional militant groups as a national security concern.

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