US Officials Told Cuba To Remove Its President From Power As Trump Signals Action: Report

Last Updated:March 17, 2026, 05:45 IST

US officials are seeking to push Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel out of power, but would allow the island nation's communist government to hold onto power, as per a report.

The Trump administration has reportedly signalled to Cuban negotiators that its President Miguel Díaz-Canel “must go" as the US president signalled possible action against the Communist-ruled Caribbean island after the war in Iran.

US officials are seeking to push Díaz-Canel out of power, but would allow the island nation’s communist government to hold onto power, people familiar with the talks told The New York Times. This came after Diaz-Canel said Havana was negotiating with Washington, without revealing much about the nature of the talks.

The US administration’s push for a new leader comes as the island grapples with widespread blackouts amid a devastating oil embargo imposed by the Trump administration. Trump has gone after leftist leaders in Latin America, launching an audacious mission to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

US-Cuba Talks

Two sources told NYT that the US is not pushing for any action against family members of Fidel Castro, who remain the country’s top power brokers. However, Trump administration officials believe removing Diaz-Canel would allow structural economic changes in the country that he is unlikely to support.

The ouster of the Cuban President would give Trump a symbolic win, reinforcing his message to the American public that he had brought down the leader of a leftist government long opposed to the United States, as he did in Venezuela, according to one of the sources.

US negotiators are also pushing for Cuba to agree to remove from power some older officials who remain committed to the ideas of Fidel Castro, along with the release of political prisoners. US efforts are aimed at having Cuba gradually open its economy to American businesspeople and companies, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the Cubans involved in the talks with the US have agreed that Diaz-Canel’s presidency had been problematic, but they stressed need to find a way to make the change without looking like Washington is telling Havana what to do, as per the sources.

What Trump Said About Cuba?

While speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump hinted at a military operation in Cuba next, saying, “I do believe I’ll be…having the honour of taking Cuba."

“You know, all my life I’ve been hearing about the United States and Cuba. When will the United States do it?" Trump said. “Whether I free it, take it — think I could do anything I want with it, you want to know the truth. They’re a very weakened nation right now."

This marked one of Trump’s most explicit threats and came as the Caribbean island of 9.6 million people grappled with yet another major power cut due to a “complete shutdown of the national grid."

Trump has alleged the fuel blockade is a response to an “extraordinary threat" posed by Cuba to the United States. On Sunday, he said Cuba “wants to make a “deal", which could come quickly after his administration has finished the war against Iran.

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