Trump says he would have the honor of taking Cuba

President Trump said Monday that he believes he will have “the honor of taking Cuba,” as his administration holds talks with Cuban officials and the island faces a deepening economic and energy crisis.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump described Cuba as a “failed nation” and added: “I do believe I’ll be having the honor of taking Cuba. It’s a big honor.” He later said: “Taking Cuba, yeah. I mean, whether I free it, take it, I think I could do anything I want with it.”

Trump’s comments came as Cuba’s electrical grid collapsed again on Monday, causing a nationwide blackout.

Cuba’s Ministry of Energy and Mines said there had been a “total disconnection” of the national electrical system, that the cause was under investigation and that restoration protocols had been activated.

NetBlocks, which tracks internet connectivity, said internet traffic in Cuba also fell as the outage spread across the island.

The blackout came as U.S. and Cuban officials continued negotiations that The New York Times reported include an effort by the Trump administration to push Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel from power. U.S. officials have told Cuban negotiators that Díaz-Canel must go, while leaving the next steps to the Cuban side.

The Times reported that Washington’s broader goal is to press Cuba to open its economy more widely to U.S. businesses while securing political concessions that Trump could present publicly.

The report said the administration has also been trying to squeeze the Cuban government by blocking foreign oil imports, worsening the island’s energy crisis.

Díaz-Canel acknowledged the talks publicly for the first time during a news conference on Friday, according to the Times. He blamed Cuba’s economic problems and prolonged blackouts on the U.S. embargo and what he described as an oil blockade, saying the country had gone three months without oil imports.

NBC News separately reported that Cuba will allow nationals living abroad to invest in the private sector and own businesses on the island, a measure presented as part of broader economic reforms as the Caribbean nation grapples with blackouts, fuel shortages and mounting economic pressure.