President Donald Trump said he could “do anything I want” with Cuba and predicted he may have “the honor of taking Cuba” as the island plunged into a nationwide blackout.
Trump made the remarks Monday at the White House as the country’s power grid collapsed, leaving roughly 10 million people without electricity.
The outage followed mounting pressure from the United States, including an oil blockade that has choked off fuel supplies to the island.
“You know, all my life I’ve been hearing about the United States and Cuba. When will the United States do it?” Trump told reporters.
Trump: Cuba, it's a beautiful island. Great weather. I will be having the honor of taking Cuba. Whether I free it, take it. I think I can do anything I want with it, if you want to know the truth pic.twitter.com/Po7J9tJMr2
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 16, 2026
“I do believe I’ll be … having the honor of taking Cuba,” he added.
“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.”
The blackout struck Monday afternoon when Cuba’s national electrical grid abruptly disconnected.
The U.S. Embassy confirmed the outage impacted the entire island, including the Havana metropolitan area.
“At 1:54 p.m. local time, there was a disconnection of the national electrical grid resulting in a complete power outage across Cuba which includes the Havana metropolitan area,” the embassy said.
The collapse came just days after unrest erupted across the country. Large crowds protesting the worsening energy crisis attacked a Communist Party headquarters.
Video showed demonstrators ransacking the building and attempting to set it on fire.
🚨BREAKING —> The people of #Cuba have just set fire to the Communist Party’s Headquarters in the eastern town of #Morón.
The Cuban people have had enough of the brutal dictatorship! pic.twitter.com/q9j6unDFh3
— Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) March 14, 2026
Experts warned Cuba’s fuel reserves were already near exhaustion before the outage. Analysts said the country had enough fuel to last only until mid-March.
The shortage worsened a humanitarian crisis driven by years of economic mismanagement and corruption under the communist government.
The Trump administration has intensified pressure on Havana in recent months. Washington cut off oil shipments from Venezuela, one of Cuba’s primary energy lifelines.
The administration also threatened tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba, further squeezing the island’s fragile power system.
The crackdown followed the U.S. removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power earlier this year.
Cuba had relied heavily on Venezuelan support for fuel and economic stability.
Trump suggests Cuba could face either a "friendly" or "unfriendly" takeover by the U.S.pic.twitter.com/8gF5bJZFrm
— The Dive Feed (@TheDeepDiveFeed) March 10, 2026
Trump suggested the island’s leadership is now vulnerable. “It’s a failed nation,” Trump said Monday.
“They have no money, no oil, no nothing, they have nice land, nice landscape, it’s a beautiful island.”
The president has previously floated the idea of a takeover.
He described the possibility as a “friendly takeover” but recently warned it may not unfold that way.
“It may not be a friendly takeover,” Trump told reporters in earlier remarks. Negotiations between Washington and Havana are ongoing.
🚨 VENEZUELAN DICTATOR NICOLAS MADURO IN U.S. CUSTODY 🚨 Do you AGREE Trump made America STRONG again??? ➡️➡️➡️ TAKE THE FREEDOM POLL NOW and stand with President Trump!!!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
The New York Times reported that U.S. officials have pushed for the removal of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel during discussions.
The report cited multiple sources familiar with the talks. Removing Díaz-Canel would strip the regime of a key public figure while leaving the broader communist system intact.
Cuba has historically rejected any foreign interference in its leadership. Officials in Havana have treated such proposals as a nonstarter in negotiations.
Despite the tension, both sides have signaled interest in potential economic deals.
The Trump administration is exploring agreements involving ports, energy and tourism. Such deals could lead to sanctions relief if negotiations progress.
The administration is also considering easing travel restrictions for Americans visiting the island. Cuban officials have indicated openness to expanding economic ties.
Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga said the country is willing to work with U.S. companies.
“We are open to having a fluid commercial relationship with U.S. companies,” Fraga told NBC News.
He also pointed to Cuban Americans as potential economic partners. “We are also open to having a fluid commercial relationship with Cubans residing in the United States and their descendants,” he added.
Fraga blamed the U.S. blockade for worsening the crisis. “The blockade deprives us of access to financing, access to technology, access to markets and in recent years, it has specifically been aimed at depriving our country of access to fuel,” he said.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed his government is engaged in talks with Washington.
The discussions aim to address “bilateral differences” and identify areas of cooperation.
Díaz-Canel said the talks will determine whether both sides are willing to take concrete steps toward cooperation.
He also revealed that Cuba has received no fuel shipments for the past three months.
Electricity generation has relied heavily on renewable energy sources during that period.
Officials have begun efforts to restore power across the island. Authorities said electricity is slowly returning to some regions.
“The causes are being investigated and protocols for restoration are beginning to be activated,” Cuba’s Ministry of Energy and Mines said.
The island’s electrical system has struggled for years. Aging infrastructure and chronic fuel shortages have made the grid increasingly unstable.
Economic restrictions have further limited access to energy resources. Power outages have become common across the country. Residents have faced disruptions to water supply, refrigeration and communications.
Cuban officials accused the United States of worsening conditions for ordinary citizens.
“Officials in the US gov must be feeling very happy by the harm caused to every Cuban family,” Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos F. de Cossio said.
Cuba has accelerated efforts to shift toward renewable energy. Officials described a solar project in Villa Clara as critical to national security.
“Amid a context of severe energy constraints and a recurring economic lockdown, #Cuba takes another firm step towards electric sovereignty,” the Villa Clara Electric Company said.
“Betting on renewables isn’t just environmental — it’s a national security necessity,” the statement added.
Authorities have urged residents to prepare for continued instability as restoration efforts continue.
Citizens were told to unplug nonessential devices and conserve electricity while the grid stabilizes.
