Donald Trump said Friday that he believes major political change could soon unfold in Cuba, suggesting the longtime U.S. rival may be preparing to negotiate with his administration.
During a phone interview with CNN anchor Dana Bash, Trump discussed several foreign policy issues before turning his attention to Cuba. The president claimed the island nation may soon seek a deal with the United States after decades of strained relations.
“Cuba is gonna fall pretty soon, by the way, unrelated, but Cuba is gonna fall too. They want to make a deal so badly,” Trump told Bash while speaking about broader international developments.
Trump also said he may task Secretary of State Marco Rubio with handling any potential negotiations involving the Caribbean nation. Rubio, who is Cuban American, has been a prominent voice on U.S. policy toward Cuba for years.
“They want to make a deal, and so I’m going to put Marco (Rubio) over there, and we’ll see how that works out. We’re really focused on this one right now. We’ve got plenty of time, but Cuba’s ready — after 50 years,” Trump said, explaining that the administration is currently focused on tensions involving Iran.
Trump further suggested that Cuba’s situation has been decades in the making.
“I’ve been watching it for 50 years, and it’s fallen right into my lap because of me; it’s fallen, but it’s nevertheless fallen right into the lap. And we’re doing very well,” he said.
The president made similar remarks at the White House on Thursday, when he hinted that Cuba could become a major diplomatic priority after current international conflicts are addressed.
“He’s doing some job, and your next one is going to be, we want to do that special Cuba,” Trump said while referring to Rubio. “He’s waiting. But he says, ‘Let’s get this one finished first.’”
