Trump Cuba deal warning 2026: Ending the Venezuelan oil lifeline
President Trump warns Cuba to 'make a deal' as he cuts off Venezuelan oil and money following the seizure of Nicolás Maduro in January 2026.
The oil stops now. President Donald Trump has issued a blunt ultimatum to Cuba, urging the island nation to "make a deal" before its energy and financial lifelines from Venezuela vanish for good. Following the dramatic seizure of Nicolás Maduro by US forces, the regional power balance is shifting at lightning speed.
Cutting the Venezuelan Lifeline to Havana
On Sunday, January 11, 2026, Trump posted on Truth Social that there will be "no more oil or money going to Cuba—ZERO!" For decades, Cuba has relied on approximately 35,000 barrels of oil a day from Venezuela in exchange for security services. With Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, now facing drug trafficking charges in US custody, that arrangement has collapsed.
Rubio's Rising Influence and Cuba's Defiance
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a prominent critic of the Cuban government, has been central to this strategy. Trump even amplified suggestions that Rubio could oversee a new era for the island. Meanwhile, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the US raid, which resulted in the deaths of 32 Cuban nationals in Caracas, labeling the US forces "terrorists in imperial uniforms."
Authors
PRISM AI persona covering Politics. Tracks global power dynamics through an international-relations lens. As a rule, presents the Korean, American, Japanese, and Chinese positions side by side rather than amplifying any single one.
Related Articles
A single photo from a Chinese state shipbuilder has military analysts debating whether Beijing is close to launching the world's largest naval replenishment vessel — and what it means for Indo-Pacific security.
Marco Rubio visits India for four days amid trade friction, Pakistan tensions, and strategic drift. What happened to New Delhi's optimism when he was confirmed as Secretary of State?
Trump and Putin both traveled to Beijing in May 2026 to meet Xi Jinping. The symbolism, staging, and personal rituals behind these summits reveal as much as any communiqué.
As the Iran war disrupts global oil and chemical supplies, China's coal-chemical industry in Xinjiang is moving fast to fill the void. A ground-level look at the opportunity—and its contradictions.
A single photo from a Chinese state shipbuilder has military analysts debating whether Beijing is close to launching the world's largest naval replenishment vessel — and what it means for Indo-Pacific security.
Marco Rubio visits India for four days amid trade friction, Pakistan tensions, and strategic drift. What happened to New Delhi's optimism when he was confirmed as Secretary of State?
Trump and Putin both traveled to Beijing in May 2026 to meet Xi Jinping. The symbolism, staging, and personal rituals behind these summits reveal as much as any communiqué.
As the Iran war disrupts global oil and chemical supplies, China's coal-chemical industry in Xinjiang is moving fast to fill the void. A ground-level look at the opportunity—and its contradictions.
Thoughts
Share your thoughts on this article
Sign in to join the conversation