Trump Administration Said to Tell Cuba That Its President Has to Go

[demmiblue]

Source: NYT

As U.S. and Cuban officials negotiate over the future of the Communist-ruled and economically besieged Caribbean island, the Trump administration is seeking to push President Miguel Díaz-Canel from power, according to four people familiar with the talks.

The move would topple a key figurehead but leave in place the repressive Communist government that has ruled Cuba for more than 65 years. The Americans have signaled to Cuban negotiators that the president must go, but are leaving the next steps up to the Cubans, the people said.

The United States so far is not pushing for any action against Castro family members, who remain the country’s top power brokers, two of the people said. That is consistent with the general desire of Mr. Trump and his aides to force regime compliance rather than regime change in their foreign policy.

In the view of some Trump administration officials, removing Cuba’s head of state would allow structural economic changes in the country that Mr. Díaz-Canel, whom the officials consider a hard-liner, is unlikely to support, one of the people said.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/world/americas/trump-cuba-president-diaz-canel.html?unlocked_article_code=1.TlA.Ygf9.a5SMOwYKG0cM

---

NEW: The Trump administration is seeking to oust the president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, in its talks with Cuban political leaders. It plans to allow the Castro family to keep power if they agree to economic changes, creating a client state for the US. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/w...

— Edward Wong (@ewong.bsky.social) 2026-03-16T22:49:01.362Z

[Botany]

1. Oh please Fidel Castro outlasted 11 U.S. Presidents

Do you think Cuba is gonna bow down to Trump?

[doc03]

2. That stupid mutha fk is in a war in the middle

eastern and he wants to take over Cuba now.

[Goonch]

3. ;-{) Invasion Plans

[Tim S]

4. Can some country PLEASE do that to us?

[OC375]

5. Startups and Legacy

This is basically Google sucking up user data, and new and old patents and IP and then dispatching the legacy corporate entities. Great for the 401k's and RMD's, but bad when it's where friends and family work.

Panama, VZ, ME, Cuba, etc... President of USA, Inc. wants the "Gulf of America" too. The ME is just competition to eat or knock out. I'd guess the cartels will be his ticket into SA and CA after he strangles Cuba.

[TomSlick]

6. Has anyone heard any explanation - no matter how irrational - why Trump wants to invade Cuba?

What has Cuba done to deserve Trump's attention?

[magicarpet]

7. trDUMP-LANDia,....

Hotels
Casinos
Golf courses
Yacht clubs
Mansions
High end retail store development
Condos
Beach resorts

[TomSlick]

8. That's probably the real reason but I have never heard Trump's public reason.

What are they negotiating?

[quaint]

10. Just a couple things Trump actually said today (3/16/26)

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100221102270
Trump's full rant on Cuba: "I think Cuba, in its own way, tourism and everything else, it's a beautiful island, great weather. They're not in a hurricane zone, which is nice for a change, you know? They won't be asking us for money for hurricanes every week. I do believe I'll have the honor of taking Cuba. That's a big honor. Taking Cuba in some form, you know. Taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, take it -- I can do anything I want with it, if you want to know the truth."

[Bayard]

13. A big honor to take Cuba

"I can do anything I want." Apparently the latest round of judges are saying--not so fast, bucko, including his own Supremes.

Congressional rethuglicans have to see that trump is seriously delusional and out of control. Do they really hate America this much, or just love themselves more?

[FakeNoose]

12. Who would invest there? It's a complete loser

There are no millionaires in Cuba, not even any "thousandaires." It's abject poverty with little incentive for outsiders to invest. Any venue in Havana that might become profitable would be taken over and nationalized by the communists.

Who would want to build a hotel there? Certainly not Chump.

[flashman13]

9. How is it possible to negotiate with a known pathological liar? Why would anyone do it?

Maybe Trump isn't BSing about taking Cuba. My son has a number of connections in Cuba that he has spoken with over the last several days. They have told him that the rumor flying around Cuba is that Trump is going to invade on March 21st. I admit it is a second hand rumor. What is its basis I have no idea. The only guess I can make is that he has told the negotiators to cut a deal by 3/21 "OR ELSE" and someone leaked it. It is surprisingly date specific. Also, 3/21 is a Saturday and we know Trump likes to start wars on Saturdays.

This is purely for what it's worth. He did ask me if I thought this could be true. I said that with the orange lunatic, nothing is beyond possibility. It's probably nonsense, but the chances of it happening on 3/21 or any other day are well above zero.

[magicarpet]

11. trDUMP says,..

.... it is good to be the king.....
You can do whatever you want.

?si=6z76ijPto1c0hG5J