Cuba Accuses US of ‘Clear and Direct Threat Of Military Aggression’

News ArticlePublishedMay 03, 2026 at 06:59 AM EDTBy Ellie CookSenior Defense ReporterCuba has criticized the U.S. for issuing a "clear and direct threat of military aggression," shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested American troops could "immediately" seize control of the Caribbean island.Appearing to make a joke, Trump said during a speech late Friday the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, may approach Cuban shores and force Cuban officials to "give up" after the U.S. wraps up its war against Iran.The Trump administration has long had Cuba's communist leadership in its crosshairs, ramping up decades of pressure on the island and hinting at a possible military takeover after U.S. operations in Venezuela at the start of January.Trump announced additional sanctions on Friday, impacting swathes of people linked to Havana's economy.Washington had imposed a fuel blockade on Cuba in early 2026, dwindling supplies often plunging the island's residents into blackouts and wiping away much of the country's vital tourist trade. Cuba's foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez, said on Saturday the U.S. had raised its level of aggression against Cuba to "dangerous levels."...In a separate statement, Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel said Trump had stepped up his threats against Cuba to an