# Trump's New Target: Cuba **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 30, 2026, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207 "2026-01-30T18:17:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/21 "2026-01-31T00:30:47Z")
In light of the Trump-Miller treatment of refugees from various non-white nations, deporting them regardless of the treaties and laws concerning refugees, and in particular their record deportation of Cubans despite the political preference they’ve gotten over the decades, I firmly believe that IF Trump managed to end the communist regime in Cuba, he’ll expect everyone to go back to Cuba. No matter whether they were born here, how long they’ve been here, whether they want to go, or even whether they’re wealthy Republicans. (Whether they’re citizens or even born citizens never enters into Trump’s head for any of his targets, period. Miller probably enjoys it more when his targets are citizens.) In other words, i suspect there wouldn’t _ **be** _ a Cuban-American voting bloc in Dade County if Trump topples the commies. The effect that would have on Republican electoral success in Florida doesn’t matter one iota to Trump. The leopards would feast on Cuban emigre faces, and that pleases Trump and Miller. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/22 "2026-01-31T01:23:08Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > In other words, i suspect there wouldn’t _ **be** _ a Cuban-American voting bloc in Dade County if Trump topples the commies. The effect that would have on Republican electoral success in Florida doesn’t matter one iota to Trump. The leopards would feast on Cuban emigre faces, and that pleases Trump and Miller. This. Trump is a narcissist, a racist, and wannabee dictator. If he holds onto power for a third term" it won’t be by honest elections _anyway,_ and he cares for nothing outside himself. The post-Trump welfare of the Republican party means nothing to him. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/23 "2026-01-31T07:35:26Z")
To make matters worse, Trump isn’t running in 2028, so he has less incentive to keep Cuban-American voters around, even if they lean GOP. It’s not like they’ll deliver Florida to him again. ---
**Author:** ![LouMa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/louma/32/19472_2.png) [@LouMa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouMa)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/24 "2026-01-31T10:55:38Z")
Huh? Which Rhineland? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/25 "2026-01-31T21:18:19Z")
It is a political joke, see the run up to WW2. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/26 "2026-02-01T02:03:40Z")
recently at the economic summit, some woman “ticked him off” so he imposed tariffs on her country. Pettiness to highest level ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/27 "2026-02-01T02:42:46Z")
Ahem. Lowest level. Always the lowest. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/28 "2026-02-01T02:44:01Z")
sorry, I should have used Extreme level ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/29 "2026-02-01T15:28:22Z")
As I noted in the compendium of horrors thread (because I missed this one), [Trump’s executive order largely delegated the overthrow of Cuba](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/addressing-threats-to-the-united-states-by-the-government-of-cuba/) to his secretaries of commerce and state. This Politico article is worth reading: [‘What the hell do we do with this issue’: Mexico confronts Trump’s Cuba pressure](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/31/trump-is-pressuring-cuba-its-putting-mexico-in-a-tough-spot-00758516) > [@](#): > > Trump and Sheinbaum spoke by phone Thursday morning, with Trump describing the conversation afterward as “very productive” and praising Sheinbaum as a “wonderful and highly intelligent Leader.” > > Sheinbaum’s remarks after the call point to how she is navigating the issue through ambiguity rather than direct confrontation, noting that the two did not discuss Cuba. Bolding is mine. In the past, Trump gave specific percentages when he threatened tariff rate increases. Most of the time he chickens out on implementation, but he’s specific on the threat. Not this time. From my first link in this post: > [@](#): > > the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the United States Trade Representative, shall determine whether and to what extent an additional _ad valorem_ rate of duty should be imposed on goods that are products of the foreign country found to directly or indirectly sell or otherwise provide any oil to Cuba. So Congress, without a constitutional amendment, [delegated the setting of tariff rates to the President](https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/how-congress-delegates-its-tariff-powers-to-the-president), despite that being a legislative task per the Constitution. Now Trump has re-delegated it to five subordinate officials. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/30 "2026-02-01T17:26:22Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Now Trump has re-delegated it to five subordinate officials. I don’t think I even want to know… ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/31 "2026-02-01T17:29:36Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Now Trump has re-delegated it to five subordinate officials. “You know, morons” ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/32 "2026-02-20T14:36:40Z")
[Here’s a _New York Times_ article on the US blockade against Cuba](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/world/americas/cuba-oil-blockade-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.NlA.FP6j.RkWBvzNwf3GF&smid=url-share). It’s maddening that the Cuban people now face a freefall in their already precarious standard of living. And if economic collapse does cause regime change in Havana – as the US intends – it will merely replace homegrown dictatorship with Trump puppets. The people’s well-being will be less than an afterthought. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/33 "2026-02-20T15:07:01Z")
> [@Chad\_Sudan](#): > > [Here’s a _New York Times_ article on the US blockade against Cuba](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/world/americas/cuba-oil-blockade-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.NlA.FP6j.RkWBvzNwf3GF&smid=url-share). > > It’s maddening that the Cuban people now face a freefall in their already precarious standard of living. And if economic collapse does cause regime change in Havana – as the US intends – it will merely replace homegrown dictatorship with Trump puppets. The people’s well-being will be less than an afterthought. But think of all the new hotels! ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/34 "2026-02-20T15:09:54Z")
What the hell, EXACTLY, has Cuba done to us, and when is America coming out of its Reality TV induced coma and realizing what the hell is happening?! ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/35 "2026-02-20T17:11:56Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > What the hell, EXACTLY, has Cuba done to us Been very very cheeky. And drove out a lot of casino proprietors, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/36 "2026-02-20T17:29:40Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > What the hell, EXACTLY, has Cuba done to us, and when is America coming out of its Reality TV induced coma and realizing what the hell is happening?! They were helping to prop up Maduro in Venezuela. I’m sure that’s what got Trump thinking about Cuba again. It was Cuban security forces that were protecting Maduro. 32 were killed when he was taken. > **[Cuba counts cost of alliance after 32 troops killed in Venezuela](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0q4l3g183jo)** > > The recent events in Venezuela have exposed the strategic risks of Cuba’s foreign entanglements. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/37 "2026-02-20T17:40:18Z")
So, how many VERY questionable people have we “propped up” in virtually every part of the world that you can imagine? In fact, we are the ones who originally “propped up” Saddam in Iraq, and he thanked us by using the arms we gave him against us. That’s world politics, and it doesn’t support what I consider an overreaction on Trump’s part. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/38 "2026-02-20T17:48:39Z")
Have you heard of Trump? Finding out they were helping Venezuela is easily enough for him to want to topple the government. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/39 "2026-02-20T18:00:03Z")
It would be wonderful _not_ to have heard of Trump. I think one’s mental health would be so much better. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207/40 "2026-02-20T18:09:17Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > What the hell, EXACTLY, has Cuba done to us, and when is America coming out of its Reality TV induced coma and realizing what the hell is happening?! Same as Iran. Cuba dared _defy_ us, without being properly punished for defying their rightful masters by being brutally conquered and the installation of an American-backed dictator to torture and massacre them for a few generations. America won’t forgive Cuba for their lèse-majesté until we’ve had the chance to fill up enough mass graves with Cuban bodies and grind our boot in their face. Plus, of course, they aren’t white enough. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-target-cuba/1027207.md?page=3)