Mike Waltz Calls Cuba a ‘National Security Threat,’ Accuses China and Russia Of Collecting Information Around US Bases

On Jul 14, 2026

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz called Cuba a “national security threat” on Sunday, accusing China and Russia of collecting intelligence around U.S. military sites as the Trump administration keeps pressure on Havana.

Waltz Warns Of Intelligence Posts

Waltz told Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that China and Russia are “collecting information around our military bases in Cuba.” He added, “The Cuban regime is not only a threat to its own people, it’s a national security threat, and this administration’s not going to stand for it any longer.”

Waltz said China and Russia “still have intelligence posts, signals, collection posts and military officers in Cuba right off our shores.” He argued that the Trump administration had pushed Moscow and Beijing back elsewhere in the region, including Venezuela, Central America and the Panama Canal.

Don’t Miss:

Trump Administration Maintains Hard Line

His comments track with the administration’s broader hard line. President Donald Trump, in January, declared Cuba’s policies an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to U.S. national security and foreign policy, citing Havana’s intelligence and defense ties with Russia and China.

The latest warning also comes after rare U.S.-Cuba contacts. The Associated Press reported in May that CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Cuban officials in Havana and delivered Trump’s message that Washington was open to serious engagement on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba made fundamental changes.

Reuters separately reported in May that Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, Josefina Vidal, accused Washington of inventing national security pretexts and warned, “Every day the danger of military aggression against Cuba grows.”

Lindsey Graham’s Passing Adds Pressure

Trump subsequently said Cuba remained “on our mind” while rejecting the need for immediate escalation, saying, “I don’t think there needs to be,” when asked about further action. He added, “Look, the place is falling apart.”

Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates has also warned that Trump’s Cuba threats could trigger a migration crisis and affect U.S. security.

The pressure campaign has gained urgency after the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a defense hawk who had called for regime change in Cuba and wrote that “the liberation of the wonderful people of Cuba from the clutches of communism is close at hand.”

Image Credit: Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Read Next:

Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

FarmTogether

Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.

Immersed

Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.

Fundrise

Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.

Realberry

Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U.S. states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests.

Mode Mobile

Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.

EquityMultiple

For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.

Source link