Donald Trump claims Cuba is moving toward U.S. orbit

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Cuba is moving toward the U.S. sphere of influence, a remark made during a speech in North Dakota amid ongoing economic sanctions against the island's leadership.

Key points

• The statement occurred during the inauguration of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota.
• The U.S. government recently imposed sanctions on high-ranking Cuban officials, including President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
• U.S. authorities reported the detention of a Cuban national identified as a long-term foreign subversive agent for the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP).
• The Cuban government has rejected the sanctions as unilateral coercive measures intended to force regime change.

Why it matters

The remarks highlight the ongoing diplomatic and economic friction between Washington and Havana, reflecting a policy of sustained pressure from the current U.S. administration.