US Defense Secretary Hegseth threatens military options for Cuba

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has stated that all options, including military action, are on the table regarding Cuba. Speaking in Panama during an American Anti-Cartel Coalition (A3C) meeting, Hegseth asserted that the Cuban military would be unable to withstand US military power and urged the Cuban government to heed the demands of President Donald Trump.

Hegseth referenced the detention of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US forces to illustrate regional dynamics, claiming that Russian-provided air defense systems failed to protect Caracas and that Cuban security personnel were similarly unable to protect Maduro. He also emphasized the strategic importance of the Panama Canal, stating the US would not allow any nation to use the canal as a threat.

These remarks follow escalating tensions between Washington and Havana. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez previously characterized the US blockade as an ‘act of war’ that is ‘silently suffocating’ the Cuban people. Additionally, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has advocated for change in Cuba, describing the current leadership as operating under a ‘collapsed ideology’.