"Want to help Cuba on humanitarian basis," says Trump

From Washington D.C., the perspective is one of strategic engagement and humanitarian concern, albeit framed within a long-standing U.S. policy towards Cuba. President Trump's remarks signal a potential shift, or at least a nuanced approach, emphasizing humanitarian aid over overt political pressure. This aligns with a segment of the Cuban-American community in Florida, a crucial demographic whose support is often courted in U.S. politics.

“

No, not at all. The Cuba look, it's a failed country. Everybody knows it. They don't have electricity, they don't have money, they don't have really anything. They don't have food. And we're going to help them along and we're going to help them because the people because number one, I want to help them on a humanitarian basis.

The article highlights the dire situation in Cuba – lack of electricity, food, and economic stability – presenting it as a 'failed country.' This framing is consistent with decades of U.S. rhetoric, but Trump's emphasis on humanitarian assistance and enabling the Cuban-American diaspora to 'help their country' introduces a new dimension. It suggests a willingness to leverage the community's resources and influence for Cuba's recovery, potentially bypassing traditional diplomatic channels or sanctions.

“

But we have the Cuban-American population, much of it living in Miami and Florida. That's a great group of people, amazing group of people, industrious, just they're great Americans. They've wanted this to happen. They want to go back to their country. They want to help their country. I hope they're going to stay here, but they want to go back; they want to invest in their country and, you know, see if they can bring it back.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio's comments reinforce the U.S. government's view of Cuba's systemic failures. His description of Cuba as a 'failed state' whose economic and political systems are 'broken' reflects a critical stance on the current Cuban leadership's ability to provide for its people. Rubio's comparison to neighboring prosperous nations underscores the U.S. perspective that Cuba's struggles are self-inflicted due to its governing model, rather than solely external pressures.

“

Other presidents have looked at this for 50, 60 years doing something and it looks like I'll be the one that does it. So it would be happy to do. We want to open it up to Cuban-Americans where they can go back and help.

This narrative, particularly Trump's willingness to 'open it up' for Cuban-Americans, is significant. It acknowledges the deep ties and potential influence of the diaspora, positioning them as key stakeholders in Cuba's future. While the U.S. maintains diplomatic engagement, the underlying message is that fundamental change within Cuba is necessary for any substantial U.S. assistance or investment. The focus remains on empowering the Cuban people, but through a lens that prioritizes U.S. values and the role of its own citizens of Cuban descent.

“

Here's the problem we have: we'll engage with the Cubans. We have our ambassadors met with them recently. The CIA director was down there a few weeks ago. There's some State Department communications that occur. I just don't see a lot of... At the end of the day, they've got to make a decision.