"Cuba's doomsday has come!" Trump boasts of being "fortunate enough to take over," causing safe-haven gold to rebound.
2026-03-17 11:29:42
Speaking at the White House on Monday (March 16), Trump said he believed he would be "honored to take over Cuba," adding that he "could do whatever he wanted with the country."
He declared that "Cuba's end is near" and expressed confidence that he would have the "honor." These remarks mark a sharp escalation in Trump's stance on Cuba, shifting from the previously vague description of a "friendly takeover" to an open declaration of "takeover" and "doing whatever he wants," drawing significant international attention.
Short-term geopolitical risk premiums in Latin America have risen, and spot gold rebounded during Tuesday's Asian trading session, currently trading around $5,030 per ounce, up about 0.5% on the day.
When asked to explain the specific meaning of "takeover," Trump said the U.S. might intervene in "some form." He said, "Whether it's liberating it, taking it over, frankly, I think I can do whatever I want with it. They're a very weak country right now."
This statement has been interpreted as Trump implying that the United States may take military, economic, or political intervention measures, and even does not rule out the option of direct control or regime change, in an extremely assertive tone.
Just last Friday, Trump suggested a “friendly takeover” of Cuba might be feasible. But in just a few days, his rhetoric has shifted to “Cuba’s doom,” “I’d be lucky to take over,” and “I can do whatever I want.”
This sharp escalation reflects a hardening of the Trump team's stance on Cuba, or may be inspired by the recent US-Israeli military action against Iran, leading them to believe that a similarly high-pressure policy can be adopted in Latin America.
With Cuba currently facing fuel shortages and an extremely weak economy, Trump sees this as the "best time to intervene."
The United States recently forced Venezuela to halt its crucial oil and economic support to Cuba, leading to a gradual depletion of Cuba's fuel supply. Cuba's economy is heavily reliant on cheap Venezuelan oil; without this source, power shortages, transportation disruptions, and a food crisis have rapidly worsened.
The Trump team believes Cuba is in a "very weak" state, presenting the perfect window for pressure and intervention. The Cuban government has not yet officially responded to Trump's latest remarks, but internal pressure has reached a critical point.
Trump's "takeover" rhetoric has significantly increased the risk of direct US intervention in Cuba, potentially including escalating economic sanctions, supporting the opposition, and even limited military action. Latin American countries are generally highly vigilant, fearing a return to a "backyard" hegemonic mindset. Further collapse of Cuba could trigger a massive refugee crisis and regional instability.
Investors should pay attention to: whether the US will link the Cuban issue with Iran and Venezuela, forming a multi-pronged high-pressure strategy; the strength of the collective response from Latin American countries; and the internal stability of the Cuban regime. In the short term, the geopolitical risk premium in Latin America is rising, and energy and supply chain uncertainties are further exacerbated. Gold, as the ultimate safe-haven asset, often benefits first when geopolitical conflicts escalate. If the market believes that the US may take military or regime change action against Cuba, gold will immediately attract safe-haven funds.
(Spot gold daily chart, source: FX678)
In a White House address on Monday, Trump said he would be "honored to take over Cuba" and that the United States "can do whatever it wants to this country," adding that "Cuba's end is near." When pressed for details, he hinted at possible intervention in "some form," even not ruling out options such as direct control or regime change.
The rhetoric escalated dramatically from last Friday's "friendly takeover" to "doing whatever they want," reflecting Trump's hardening stance on Cuba. This comes against the backdrop of the US forcing Venezuela to halt key support, leading to Cuba's fuel supply shortages and severe economic weakness.
The Cuban government has not yet officially responded, but internal pressure has reached a critical point. Trump's statement significantly increases the risk of direct US intervention in Cuba, potentially destabilizing the Latin American geopolitical landscape. Investors need to be wary of the coordinated US high-pressure strategy, the collective response from Latin American countries, and the stability of the Cuban regime, leading to rising regional risk premiums and increased uncertainty in energy and supply chains.
At 11:29 Beijing time, spot gold was trading at $5,032.12 per ounce.
He declared that "Cuba's end is near" and expressed confidence that he would have the "honor." These remarks mark a sharp escalation in Trump's stance on Cuba, shifting from the previously vague description of a "friendly takeover" to an open declaration of "takeover" and "doing whatever he wants," drawing significant international attention.
Short-term geopolitical risk premiums in Latin America have risen, and spot gold rebounded during Tuesday's Asian trading session, currently trading around $5,030 per ounce, up about 0.5% on the day.
What does takeover mean? Does it mean the US can do whatever it wants?
When asked to explain the specific meaning of "takeover," Trump said the U.S. might intervene in "some form." He said, "Whether it's liberating it, taking it over, frankly, I think I can do whatever I want with it. They're a very weak country right now."
This statement has been interpreted as Trump implying that the United States may take military, economic, or political intervention measures, and even does not rule out the option of direct control or regime change, in an extremely assertive tone.
The tone escalated dramatically from a friendly takeover to a declaration that the end is near.
Just last Friday, Trump suggested a “friendly takeover” of Cuba might be feasible. But in just a few days, his rhetoric has shifted to “Cuba’s doom,” “I’d be lucky to take over,” and “I can do whatever I want.”
This sharp escalation reflects a hardening of the Trump team's stance on Cuba, or may be inspired by the recent US-Israeli military action against Iran, leading them to believe that a similarly high-pressure policy can be adopted in Latin America.
With Cuba currently facing fuel shortages and an extremely weak economy, Trump sees this as the "best time to intervene."
Venezuela halts key support, Cuba runs out of fuel supplies
The United States recently forced Venezuela to halt its crucial oil and economic support to Cuba, leading to a gradual depletion of Cuba's fuel supply. Cuba's economy is heavily reliant on cheap Venezuelan oil; without this source, power shortages, transportation disruptions, and a food crisis have rapidly worsened.
The Trump team believes Cuba is in a "very weak" state, presenting the perfect window for pressure and intervention. The Cuban government has not yet officially responded to Trump's latest remarks, but internal pressure has reached a critical point.
Increased risk of intervention could destabilize Latin America's geopolitical landscape.
Trump's "takeover" rhetoric has significantly increased the risk of direct US intervention in Cuba, potentially including escalating economic sanctions, supporting the opposition, and even limited military action. Latin American countries are generally highly vigilant, fearing a return to a "backyard" hegemonic mindset. Further collapse of Cuba could trigger a massive refugee crisis and regional instability.
Investors should pay attention to: whether the US will link the Cuban issue with Iran and Venezuela, forming a multi-pronged high-pressure strategy; the strength of the collective response from Latin American countries; and the internal stability of the Cuban regime. In the short term, the geopolitical risk premium in Latin America is rising, and energy and supply chain uncertainties are further exacerbated. Gold, as the ultimate safe-haven asset, often benefits first when geopolitical conflicts escalate. If the market believes that the US may take military or regime change action against Cuba, gold will immediately attract safe-haven funds.
(Spot gold daily chart, source: FX678)
Editor's Summary
In a White House address on Monday, Trump said he would be "honored to take over Cuba" and that the United States "can do whatever it wants to this country," adding that "Cuba's end is near." When pressed for details, he hinted at possible intervention in "some form," even not ruling out options such as direct control or regime change.
The rhetoric escalated dramatically from last Friday's "friendly takeover" to "doing whatever they want," reflecting Trump's hardening stance on Cuba. This comes against the backdrop of the US forcing Venezuela to halt key support, leading to Cuba's fuel supply shortages and severe economic weakness.
The Cuban government has not yet officially responded, but internal pressure has reached a critical point. Trump's statement significantly increases the risk of direct US intervention in Cuba, potentially destabilizing the Latin American geopolitical landscape. Investors need to be wary of the coordinated US high-pressure strategy, the collective response from Latin American countries, and the stability of the Cuban regime, leading to rising regional risk premiums and increased uncertainty in energy and supply chains.
At 11:29 Beijing time, spot gold was trading at $5,032.12 per ounce.
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