Trump hints at possible ‘friendly takeover’ of Cuba

WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump said there is the possibility of a “friendly takeover” of Cuba amid U.S. talks with Havana.

Trump spoke with reporters on Friday outside the White House as he prepared to travel to Texas for a speech on the economy and energy.

He said Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in “high-level” discussions with Cuban leaders.

The Cuban government is talking with us,” the president said. “They have no money. They have no anything right now. But they’re talking to us, and maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba. We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba.”

The president did not elaborate or provide details of what he means by a “friendly takeover.”

Cuba, a communist-run island, wants the administration’s help, Trump said, describing it as a failed nation.

“We’ve had a lot of years of dealing with Cuba. I’ve been hearing about Cuba since I’m a little boy. But they’re in big trouble,” Trump said on Friday.

The remarks came after the Cuban government reported on Wednesday that a Florida-registered speedboat carrying 10 Cubans from the United States opened fire on socials off the north coast of the island.

Four armed Cubans were killed and six were injured in the responding gunfire, according to Cuba’s government. A Cuban official was also injured.

In early January, U.S. forces ousted the Venezuelan Dictator, Nicolás Maduro, a close ally of Cuba. In the aftermath of the military operation, Trump said military action in Cuba might not be necessary because of Cuba’s weak economy.

Trump also spoke on Friday about Cubans exiled to the United States, saying the talks with Havana would be “very positive for the people that were expelled, or worse, from Cuba and live here.” A strict trade embargo on Cuba has been kept by the U.S. since 1962.

Cuba’s government confirmed earlier this week that it was communicating with U.S. officials after the speedboat shooting. Rubio said the Department of Homeland Security and Coast Guard are also investigating what happened.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.