TJ Madsen is among the founding members of the New Herald Tribune and chairs the editorial board. He worked for national syndicated newspapers in Newark, Philadelphia, and Baltimore before moving to the midwest.
January 3 , 2026
Washington, DC -- In a dramatic escalation of U.S. foreign policy in Latin America, President Donald Trump suggested Saturday that Cuba could be the next focus of American efforts following the invasion and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The comments, made shortly after U.S. forces carried out a military operation in Venezuela and announced Maduro’s removal, have reverberated across diplomatic channels and drawn swift international reaction.
Speaking at a press briefing, Trump said the United States already has troops in Venezuela and floated the idea that they “could just march right across the border into Cuba,” framing this as a potential continuation of what he described as efforts to assist people suffering under poor governance. “Cuba is a failing nation right now,” Trump said when asked about Havana’s prospects following the Venezuela operation, adding that the U.S. wants to “help the people” of Cuba by privatizing their oil industry.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced the suggestion, telling reporters that Cuban officials should be “concerned” in light of the recent Venezuelan military action, a remark that has heightened anxiety among some Caribbean capitals. Rubio has long been a vocal critic of the Cuban government and this week’s comments are being read as a signal that Washington may widen its hemispheric focus.
The White House has maintained that its immediate priority is stabilizing Venezuelan oil fields after the operation that ousted Maduro, which involved U.S. strikes and the capture of the embattled leader. Trump has said he intends for the United States to “run” Venezuela during an interim period and to work toward what he called a “safe, proper and judicious transition.”
International reaction has been swift. The Cuban government publicly denounced the U.S. actions, with President Miguel Díaz-Canel calling the Venezuela operation “state terrorism” and a violation of international norms, while noting Cuba’s existing economic vulnerabilities tied to Venezuelan oil supplies. The remarks have underscored deep regional unease about U.S. military involvement.
Legal experts and global leaders have also questioned the legality of the Venezuela action, noting potential violations of international law that prohibits the use of force against sovereign nations without clear self-defense justification or UN Security Council approval. Critics argue that the precedent set by the invasion could undermine established norms and stoke broader geopolitical instability.
For now, the Pentagon has not confirmed any concrete plans for further military operations elsewhere in the region. Nonetheless, Trump’s comments have ignited debates in capitals throughout the Americas about the future of U.S. engagement and the limits of American military power.
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