Hegseth issues Cuba warning during visit to Guantánamo Bay
Pete Hegseth told Cuba that obtaining weapons capable of threatening the United States could prompt a military response, in the latest warning to the communist-led regime.
Washington has been ramping up pressure on the island nation with sanctions, a punishing oil blockade and the positioning of enough warships in the region to carry out an attack.
Speaking at the US naval base at Guantánamo Bay on the southeastern tip of Cuba, Mr Hegseth said: “It would be unwise for the government of Cuba to try to procure or get access to the types of weapons that could reach this base or the American homeland.
“They would be inviting the kind of confrontation not only they do not want, but they could not stand. What happens with the future of Cuba is in the hands of … the president of the United States and the leadership of Cuba.”
The US secretary of war is the latest senior official to visit the island in recent weeks.
Pete Hegseth spoke to troops during his visit to the American naval base at Guantanámo Bay, Cuba – Phil Stewart/Reuters
Gen Francis Donovan, the military commander for Latin America, visited Guantánamo and met Cuban military leaders late last month. John Ratcliffe, CIA director, also made a trip to Cuba in May.
Since the US military action against Venezuela and the capture of its then-president Nicolás Maduro, Donald Trump has repeatedly signalled that Cuba could be his next target.
A report last month claimed Cuba had acquired more than 300 military drones and was discussing plans to use them to attack the Guantánamo base, US warships and possibly even Florida.
Cuba has been acquiring attack drones from Russia and Iran since 2023 and is seeking to buy more, US officials told Axios, citing classified intelligence.
Havana firmly denied the report, with officials arguing that Washington had falsified the information to use it as a pretext for possible military action.
A source close to the US president told The Telegraph last week that Cuba would serve as “an easy win”, particularly given the economic woes in Havana.
Pete Hegseth also lifted weights with troops on the naval base – Phil Stewart/Reuters
Cuba, which was already floundering under a decades-long US economic embargo, is nearing collapse under the weight of the Trump administration’s oil blockade.
It has accelerated a humanitarian crisis, resulting in persistent blackouts, food shortages and a crumbling healthcare system.
The US Nimitz aircraft carrier entered the Caribbean in May, along with its guided-missile destroyers and cruisers. The same day, the US indicted Raúl Castro, the former Cuban revolutionary leader, on historical murder charges.
US drones and surveillance aircraft had also been circling the island for months.
Yet, despite the signals of impending military action, few experts believe Mr Trump would launch a significant military operation, particularly given that the costly war against Iran is ongoing.
Guantánamo Bay, 430 miles southeast of Miami, is heavily guarded by a unit of Marines and is home to 3,000 troops. It functions independently of Cuba and houses a notorious detention facility.