Trump tells UN that Cuba’s communist regime will fall

Tuesday 22 September 2026 - 17:14

By: Azzat Manal

Trump tells UN that Cuba’s communist regime will fall

US President Donald Trump used his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to deliver a stark warning to Cuba’s communist government, saying the regime was facing unprecedented pressure and would eventually collapse.

Speaking before world leaders in New York, Trump said his administration was seeking a “fundamental change” in Cuba and argued that the communist system was under the strongest pressure it had ever faced. He also declared that freedom would eventually reach the Caribbean island.

Trump’s remarks come as Washington has significantly intensified its pressure on Havana. The United States has maintained a trade embargo against Cuba for more than six decades, while the Trump administration has adopted additional measures aimed at increasing economic and political pressure on the Cuban government.

Relations between the two countries have also included periods of direct contact. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said in March that Havana had opened talks with the US government to address bilateral differences and seek solutions through dialogue. However, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez later said in September that there were no active negotiations or agreed agendas, highlighting the gap between the two sides.

Cuba has been facing a severe economic and energy crisis, with shortages of fuel, medicine and food accompanied by prolonged power outages. Reuters reported in May that parts of Havana were experiencing blackouts lasting up to 22 hours a day, while protests erupted in several areas of the capital over deteriorating living conditions.

Washington has argued that stronger pressure is necessary to encourage political change on the island. Havana, meanwhile, has repeatedly rejected US attempts to influence its political system and has emphasized its sovereignty and right to self-determination.

Trump’s latest comments therefore add a sharper political dimension to an already strained relationship. While his administration has indicated an interest in dialogue under certain conditions, the president’s UN speech made clear that Washington continues to seek major changes in Cuba’s political system.

The Cuban delegation left the General Assembly chamber during Trump’s remarks, according to Reuters, underscoring the deep divisions between Havana and Washington.