President Trump issued an executive order on Thursday, declaring a national emergency regarding Cuba. He accused the communist regime of collaborating with hostile foreign powers and terrorist organizations, and announced measures to penalize nations that provide oil to the island.
The executive order characterizes Cuba’s policies and actions as posing “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, which originates entirely or substantially from outside the country.”
In response to this threat, Trump mandated the establishment of a tariff system enabling the United States to levy additional duties on imports from nations that “directly or indirectly sell or otherwise provide oil to Cuba,” as stated in the order.
The administration indicated that this action represents a major escalation against the Cuban government, designed to safeguard U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.
According to the order, Trump asserted that Cuba aligns with and supports “numerous hostile nations, transnational terrorist organizations, and malicious actors opposed to the United States,” specifically citing Russia, China, Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah.
The administration noted that Cuba hosts Russia’s largest overseas signals intelligence facility, which the order claims is used to steal sensitive U.S. national security data. The order also alleges that Cuba is continuing to expand its intelligence and defense collaboration with China.
The order states that Cuba “welcomes transnational terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah and Hamas.”
Trump also referenced Cuba’s human rights record, charging the regime with persecuting and torturing political dissidents, suppressing freedom of speech and press, and punishing the families of political prisoners who engage in peaceful protests.
“The United States will not tolerate the abuses of the communist Cuban regime,” Trump stated in the order, vowing that the administration will take action to hold the regime accountable while backing the Cuban people’s desire for a free and democratic society.
The order tasks the Commerce Department with identifying whether foreign nations are providing oil to Cuba, either directly or via intermediaries. The State Department, in coordination with Treasury, Commerce, and the U.S. Trade Representative, will determine if new tariffs are warranted and at what level.
The Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing the national emergency and reporting to Congress, while the Commerce Department will maintain its monitoring of nations supplying oil to Cuba.
In a statement, the White House explained that the order aims to shield U.S. national security and foreign policy from the Cuban regime’s “malicious actions and policies,” characterizing the measure as part of Trump’s wider strategy to confront governments that endanger American interests.
The administration noted that this action extends Trump’s first-term Cuba policy, which rolled back Obama-era diplomatic engagement and restored stricter measures against the communist government.
The executive order will become effective on Friday.
The White House did not promptly reply to Digital’s request for further comment.