US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Cuba is seeking help and that the United States will talk with Havana, posting the comments on Truth Social as he said he was heading to China. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Trump called Cuba a "failed country" and said it was heading "down," adding in one post: "Cuba is asking for help, and we are going to talk! In the meantime, I am off to China!" [1, 3, 4]
The White House, the State Department and Havana representatives were not immediately available for comment. [1, 2, 3]
Trump is travelling to China this week for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In reports from China, Trump was said to be leaving for meetings on May 14-15. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The Trump administration has imposed fresh financial sanctions on Cuba and expanded existing measures, including limits on travel and remittances and a fuel or oil blockade, according to the reports. They also said China has called on Washington to end its embargo and sanctions on Havana. [1, 2, 3, 5]
Reports have linked the worsening pressure on Cuba to US action against Venezuela earlier in 2026, though they differed on details. Some said Washington cut Venezuela's oil exports to Cuba after toppling Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, while others gave a broader account of US pressure on Caracas. [1, 2, 3, 6, 5]
Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday that Cuba was ending fixed petrol prices as fuel shortages and power cuts worsened. [7]
