President Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency over an ongoing threat posed by Cuba to U.S. national security and foreign policy, citing their ties to hostile governments and terrorist groups, intelligence cooperation with Russia and China, and widespread human rights abuses.
The order accuses Cuba of hosting foreign military and intelligence operations, including Russia’s largest overseas signals intelligence facility, supporting groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and exporting communist influence across the Western Hemisphere. Trump said the Cuban government’s actions undermine regional stability, fuel illegal migration, and repress its own population through censorship, political persecution, and violence.
In response, the order authorizes new tariffs on imports from any foreign country that directly or indirectly supplies oil to Cuba. The Commerce Department will identify offending countries, while the State Department will recommend whether tariffs should be imposed and at what level, with final approval reserved for the president.
Trump retained broad authority to modify or expand the order, including increasing penalties if foreign governments retaliate or easing restrictions if Cuba or other countries take steps aligned with U.S. national security interests. Federal agencies are directed to monitor compliance and report regularly to Congress.
