US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has not ruled out any military scenario regarding Cuba, emphasizing that the Pentagon will provide President Donald Trump with “every necessary option“ for action.
His statement was made during a landmark visit to the Guantanamo naval base. It comes against the backdrop of a final escalation of the so-called. Cuban crisis, after earlier this year.
The Pentagon chief admitted that the United States is considering kidnapping Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, stressing that the final decision rests with US President Donald Trump.
The US has already carried out a similarly daring military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Speaking to US soldiers at Guantanamo Bay, Hegseth said that Cuba's future is entirely in the hands of the US president. He added that "the War Department will give the commander-in-chief every option he needs within this contingency plan," refusing to limit the scope of a possible intervention.
Hegseth has warned the government in Havana that any attempts by the island to acquire advanced weapons from Russia or Iran (such as attack drones) capable of reaching the United States or the base at Guantanamo Bay would "create a confrontation that Cuba cannot withstand."
Speculation about the possible forced removal or detention of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel is growing. The kidnapping of Maduro earlier this year is seen as a direct model for action against other socialist regimes in the region.
On June 5, President Donald Trump openly declared that Washington's goal is to change the government in Cuba. The island is currently under a complete US energy blockade, and on May 20 the White House filed federal murder charges against 94-year-old former leader Raul Castro. For his part, Cuban President Diaz-Canel has warned that if US threats turn into a real military invasion, it will lead to "unprecedented bloodshed" with grave consequences for the stability of the entire region.