Trump says he’s talking to Cuba’s ‘highest people’ after threatening tariffs on its oil partners

Published February 1, 2026 3:42pm ET



President Donald Trump suggested that negotiations are ongoing with senior officials in Cuba after the president threatened tariffs against countries trading oil with the Caribbean nation.

Trump spoke about the current relationship with Cuba to reporters on Sunday. The president’s comments come days after Trump declared a national emergency over the Cuban regime’s support for “malign actors adverse to the United States.” As a result of the classification, Trump signaled his intention to create a “tariff system” targeting Cuban imports, including oil.

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