Miami, 28 March (H.S.):

US President Donald Trump dropped a bombshell Friday, declaring Cuba is next during a speech at an investment forum here, as he celebrated recent American military triumphs in Venezuela and Iran.

Speaking to a crowd of business leaders, Trump boasted about the strength of the US military he has built, adding a quick caveat: But pretend I didn’t say that. His remarks come against the backdrop of Cuba's deepening economic woes, fueled by severed oil supplies from Venezuela after the US-backed ouster of Nicolas Maduro in January.

Havana, long reliant on those shipments to power its grid and transport, now faces chronic blackouts and shortages that have pushed its leadership into uncharted talks with Washington.

Trump has toyed with the idea of a friendly takeover of the island nation for weeks, hinting at everything from negotiations to potential kinetic action if talks falter.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel acknowledged the dialogue this week, confirming involvement from Raul Castro and floating concessions like allowing expatriates to invest and releasing political prisoners.

Yet US officials have privately insisted Diaz-Canel step down as a precondition for progress, aiming to sideline hardliners tied to Fidel Castro's era without toppling the regime entirely.

The rhetoric escalates a crisis that began with Trump's calls in January for Cuba to make a deal before it's too late, followed by a US blockade on oil tankers that echoes the Cuban Missile Crisis era.

Cuba's deputy foreign minister has warned of preparations for military aggression, while Trump eyes economic openings for American firms as leverage.

On Saturday, as the Iran conflict rages, Trump's Miami words underscore his pattern of regime pressure – from Maduro's capture to Iran's turmoil – positioning Cuba squarely in his crosshairs.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar