President Donald Trump said on Monday that he expected to have the “honor” of “taking Cuba in some form.”
Trump was asked during an Oval Office press conference about whether Cuba could be next after the U.S. captured former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and launched a war against Iran to prevent the regime from getting nuclear weapons.
“All my life, I’ve been hearing about the United States and Cuba. When will the United States do it? I do believe I’ll be having the honor of taking Cuba,” said Trump. “That’s a big honor … taking Cuba in some form.”
“Whether I free it, take it. I could do anything I want with it,” he added. “They’re a very weakened nation right now.”
Trump also claimed the Caribbean country is a “failed nation” that has “no money.”
Cuba is currently facing a nationwide blackout, which comes after Trump imposed a U.S. blockade and sweeping tariffs against foreign governments supplying Cuba with oil in January.
“They have no oil. They have no nothing. They have nice land. They have nice landscape, you know, it’s a beautiful island,” Trump said.
One day previously, Trump claimed to reporters on Air Force One that he would turn to Cuba after ending the Iran war.
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“Cuba also wants to make a deal. And I think we will pretty soon make a deal or do whatever we have to do,” he told reporters.
Cuban President Manuel Diaz-Canel announced on Friday that the nation has had talks with U.S. officials over areas of cooperation.