May 14, 2026
John Tune, Republican Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate
A growing group of Republican senators is warning U.S. President Donald Trump not to open a new military front against Cuba amid the prolonged confrontation with Iran, arguing that U.S. forces are already overburdened and that the country faces growing economic and political tensions ahead of the midterm elections.
Concerns within the Republican Party arise after weeks of speculation about possible U.S. military action against Havana, fueled by statements from Trump himself and by increased intelligence operations by the U.S. Navy and Air Force near the Cuban coast.
Earlier this month, Trump claimed that U.S. forces could take control of Cuba “almost immediately” and suggested the possibility of deploying an aircraft carrier strike group off the island, comments that reignited discussions in Washington about a potential attempt at regime change.
In recent days, moreover, the increase in U.S. surveillance flights near Cuban territory has intensified speculation about a possible operation similar to the one that, according to reports circulating in the United States, led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January.
However, key Republican figures in the Senate are distancing themselves from any direct military intervention.
The priority must be Iran, they warn
Senate Majority Leader John Thune made it clear that Washington’s top priority must remain the conflict with Iran and the energy crisis resulting from the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“I think right now we’re focused on our current situation, which is trying to open the Strait of Hormuz,” Thune stated when asked about a possible military operation against Cuba.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply passes, has become one of the main flashpoints since the deterioration of relations between Washington and Tehran. The reduction in maritime traffic in that area caused a sharp rise in international energy prices and an increase in gasoline prices in the United States.
Although Thune acknowledged that he would like to see political change in Cuba, he insisted that he prefers it to occur “organically,” driven by economic pressure resulting from sanctions and the tightening of the U.S. embargo.
“I would love to see regime change in Cuba; we all would,” the Republican senator stated. “Perhaps it will happen simply by the force of events.”
Another Republican who openly rejected a military campaign was James Lankford, vice chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, who argued that Washington still has sufficient economic tools to pressure the Cuban government without resorting to armed intervention.
“No, I wouldn’t,” Lankford replied when asked by The Hill if he would support a military operation against Cuba. “A lot of economic pressure can be brought to bear on Cuba, which in and of itself makes a big difference,” he added.
Significant Strain in the War with Iran
Within the Republican Party, there is also concern about the military and financial strain already being caused by the conflict with Iran, which has dragged on far longer than Trump had initially projected.
According to Republican lawmakers, the war has dragged on for months despite the fact that the White House had originally estimated the confrontation would last only four to five weeks.
Senator Steve Daines expressed confidence in Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to handle foreign policy, but admitted he would prefer to see a reduction in international military conflicts.
“Right now I think I’d rather see less conflict than more, given what’s happening in the world,” Daines said.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins also flatly rejected the idea of a military operation against Cuba.
When asked about the possibility of supporting an attack, she simply replied, “No.”
One of the strongest critics of a potential military escalation was libertarian Senator Rand Paul, who warned that starting another war would be a strategic and political mistake.
“I want less war, not more,” Paul declared. “I am not in favor of a war with Cuba,” he told the outlet.
The Kentucky senator argued that the island is already facing a severe economic crisis due to the U.S. embargo and the structural problems of its socialist model, but maintained that economic openness and greater U.S. investment could be a more effective way to drive internal change.
Paul also claimed to have held talks with Cuban diplomatic representatives who, according to him, were open to improving bilateral relations and allowing U.S. investment.
Another prominent voice in the Senate, Shelley Moore Capito, downplayed the likelihood of a military offensive against Cuba, though she acknowledged that the issue continues to be discussed within the Republican leadership.
“It’s very low on the list, if it’s even on it,” she said when asked about military intervention. “I think we should focus on what’s happening in Iran.”
These internal political tensions come as the ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains in an extremely fragile state.
On Monday, Trump rejected an Iranian counterproposal to reach a peace agreement and called the offer “garbage,” while warning that the ceasefire is in a “life-support state.”
The president even raised the possibility that the conflict could drag on for weeks or months, accusing sectors of the Iranian regime of wanting an indefinite war.
A Shortage of Resources in Congress
Meanwhile, congressional officials warned that military costs are already rising rapidly. Lawmakers predict that the $150 billion allocated to the Pentagon through the legislation known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” could be completely exhausted by the end of 2026—much sooner than initially anticipated.
The Trump administration has also considered requesting a new supplemental defense package of between $80 billion and $100 billion to cover the costs of the war with Iran, though it has not yet sent a formal proposal to Capitol Hill.
That scenario is generating growing resistance even among Republicans who traditionally support high defense spending, especially ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Cuba, a key issue for Trump
Concerns about Cuba had already surfaced months earlier. In March, Trump sparked controversy during an investment forum in Miami when he told business leaders that “Cuba is next.”
“I built this great army. I said, ‘You’ll never have to use it.’ But sometimes you have to use it. And Cuba is next, by the way,” the president said at the time.
Last month, Senate Republicans blocked a resolution sponsored by Democratic lawmakers under the War Powers Act of 1973 that sought to prevent any U.S. military deployment against Cuba without congressional authorization.
At that time, Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott led the effort to stop the initiative.
Interestingly, only Collins and Paul voted alongside the Democrats in favor of limiting potential military actions against Cuba. However, the mood within the Republican caucus appears to have shifted in recent weeks due to the possibility that military intervention is becoming more likely.
Several lawmakers fear that opening a new simultaneous conflict in the Caribbean would further complicate the U.S.’s military, economic, and political situation, especially amid rising energy costs, growing war fatigue, and signs of discontent among voters.
(With information from La FM)
A group of Democratic lawmakers demand that Trump not invade Cuba or detain Cuban migrants in Guantanamo
A group of Democratic congressmen sent a letter to the Donald Trump administration demanding that it abandon any plans for military action against Cuba and that it not use the U.S. base at Guantanamo to detain Cuban migrants.
The letter was sent on Tuesday to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth; Secretary of State Marco Rubio; and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, and is signed by more than 30 lawmakers, led by Democratic Representative Delia Ramírez of Illinois.
Trump has been hinting for weeks at the possibility of military intervention in Cuba, and on May 2, he stated at a rally that he would take control of the island “almost immediately” once the war with Iran ends.
“Such an action would be illegal, deeply destabilizing, and catastrophic for the Cuban people, in addition to further increasing displacement, exacerbating mass suffering, and harming U.S. interests in the region. It must be unequivocally rejected,” the Democrats warned.
The Importance of Guantanamo to the U.S.
Furthermore, they denounced as “alarming and unacceptable” the alleged plans by the U.S. military to send Cuban migrants to Guantanamo in the event of an increase in migration from the island to the United States—a suggestion made by a senior official from U.S. Southern Command during a congressional hearing last March.
“U.S. policies have deliberately targeted the Cuban civilian population and have contributed to their displacement, as well as their deaths. Planning their detention at Guantanamo is not a response to migration, but an attempt to contain the consequences of the very policies that are causing it,” they stated.
Upon his return to the White House last year, Trump promised to convert the Guantanamo base—known for its detention center for terrorism suspects following the 9/11 attacks—into a facility to house 30,000 migrants detained in the United States.
That migrant detention center could be used in the event of an increase in Cuban migration resulting from a potential U.S. military intervention.
The Cuban government warned on Wednesday that a “military aggression” by Washington against the island would provoke a “humanitarian catastrophe,” as well as a “bloodbath” for both countries.
The statements by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez come a day after the U.S. Secretary of Defense said that Cuba represents “a threat to national security” for his country.
Source: Cuba en Resumen