President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States could pursue a "friendly takeover" of Cuba as the island nation grapples with severe economic hardship. Speaking to reporters on the White House South Lawn before boarding Marine One for a trip to Texas, Trump said the Cuban government is "talking with us" at a high level through Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"They have no money. They have no anything right now," Trump said. "Maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba." He added, "We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba." Trump described the situation as potentially positive for Cuban exiles in the United States, noting, "We have people living here that want to go back to Cuba, and they’re very happy with what’s going on."

The remarks come amid heightened U.S. pressure on Cuba following the January capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by American forces, which severed Cuba's primary oil supply from its longtime ally. The U.S. has imposed a fuel blockade, blocking nearly all oil shipments to the island and prompting Mexico to halt its supplies as well. This has exacerbated Cuba's energy crisis, with warnings of humanitarian collapse from United Nations experts.

Rubio has held secret talks with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, grandson of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, including meetings on the sidelines of a Caribbean Community summit in St. Kitts and Nevis this week. Rubio has urged economic reforms in Cuba, stating earlier this month that the island "needs to change" but not necessarily all at once.

Tensions escalated further this week when Cuban border forces clashed with a group of armed exiles from Florida aboard a speedboat, killing four and wounding others in what Havana called a terrorist attack. The U.S. State Department confirmed at least two participants were American citizens but denied government involvement.

Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel has expressed willingness to engage in discussions but insisted they must respect the island's sovereignty and occur "from a position of equals." The U.S. trade embargo, in place since the 1960s, has long strained relations, with Trump reinstating Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism and intensifying sanctions since taking office.

President Trump's comments did not specify what a "friendly takeover" would entail, but they signal ongoing diplomatic efforts amid Cuba's mounting challenges.