Latest News About Donald Trump Cuba policy changes

Updated 2026-06-17 19:00

In 2017, Trump declared changes to the U.S. approach toward Cuba, canceling the Obama-era approach and tightening travel and business restrictions to apply pressure to the Cuban regime. He framed the policy as turning back a "completely one-sided deal," and tied sanctions to political prisoner releases, elections, and legalizing parties. The administration published benchmarks that, if met, could alter sanctions, while showing a harsher stance than the prior administration, following long-standing objectives to challenge the Cuban government while maintaining some options for engagement.

Sources

Fact Sheet on Cuba Policy - Trump White House Archives

div President Donald J. Trump is changing the policy of the United States toward Cuba to achieve four objectives: 1. Enhance compliance with United States law—in particular the provisions that govern the embargo of Cuba and the ban on tourism; 2. Hold the Cuban regime accountable for oppression and human rights abuses ignored under the Obama policy; 3. Further the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and those of the Cuban people; and 4. Lay the groundwork for...

trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov