# U.S. military planning regarding Cuba

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-military-planning-regarding-cuba
> Updated: 2026-09-25T00:00:00.000Z. Sources: 82. Developments: 2.

U.S. military planners have begun evaluating various scenarios for potential action against Cuba following statements from President Donald Trump. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that ‘all options are the table, including military.’

Initial planning efforts included the Pentagon conducting ‘Concept of Operations’ (CONOPS) discussions to detail mission objectives, logistics, and risks. One researched scenario involved an airborne attack led by the Army’s 101st Airborne Division, while the Defense Intelligence Agency examined potential Cuban responses. At this stage, officials suggested a focus on maximizing economic pressure rather than immediate large-scale mobilization.

Recent internal U.S. Army Reserve communications, including a memo reviewed by CBS News, indicate the military is assessing the readiness of support units that could be made available to U.S. Southern Command within 90 to 120 days. While the documents do not explicitly name Cuba, multiple U.S. officials confirmed the request is part of military planning focused on the island.

The requested formations include specialized units such as a military police brigade, a medical brigade with a forward surgical detachment for trauma care, an engineer battalion, and a combat sustainment support battalion for logistics, including transportation, maintenance, fuel, and supplies. This assessment is characterized as a contingency planning measure rather than a formal mobilization order.

U.S. Southern Command, which oversees operations in the Caribbean, Central, and South America, has declined to comment on specific operational movements or deployment timelines, citing security concerns. This planning follows remarks by Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly, where he described Cuba as a ‘completely failed state’ and stated his administration is working toward a ‘thorough change of the situation in Cuba.’

## Claims

- Military planning is specifically focused on Cuba, despite the internal Army message not mentioning the island by name. (corroborated by 40 sources)
- The requested units include a military police brigade, a medical brigade, an emergency surgery team, engineers, and logistics units. (corroborated by 38 sources)
- The US Army Reserve is assessing the availability of specific support units for potential use within 90 to 120 days. (corroborated by 37 sources)
- US Southern Command declined to comment on specific operational movements or deployment timelines due to security concerns. (corroborated by 37 sources)
- An internal US Army Reserve message was reviewed by CBS News. (corroborated by 37 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-25: US Army Reserve evaluates support units for potential Cuba-related operations

The US Army Reserve is evaluating the availability of medical, logistics, and military police units for US Southern Command within 90 to 120 days, amid reports of military planning focused on Cuba.

76 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tiktok-used-to-organize-armed-incursion-from-florida-to-cuba

### 2026-09-01: U.S. military planners evaluate potential scenarios regarding Cuba

U.S. military planners are reportedly modeling various operational scenarios regarding Cuba, including potential airborne attacks, amid heightened rhetoric from the Trump administration.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-military-planners-evaluate-potential-scenarios-regarding-cuba

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Cite as: U.S. military planning regarding Cuba. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-military-planning-regarding-cuba