Trump says US warships returning from Iran could stop off Cuba before Rubio is sent to 'finish up the deal'; Cuba rejects 'threats' as Rubio urges Cubans to work with the CIA

President Donald Trump told a campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday 23 October that US warships returning from the war with Iran could stop off the coast of Cuba, AP reported.

“We’ll do a little stopover,” Trump said in response to a question shouted from the crowd. “Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We’ll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They’ll raise up their hands. And then we’re going to send (Secretary of State) Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal.” He also said: “We’ll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran,” CBS News reported.

Rubio wrote on X on Friday: “To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time.” He urged them to “create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA”. The CIA reposted the message and published a Spanish-language video explaining how to contact the agency, CBS News and AFP reported.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla replied on X: “We reject every threat related to US ambitions toward Cuba.” He wrote that the island’s coastline has beautiful beaches but also “razor-sharp limestone spikes”, which he called inhospitable to those arriving “with hostile purposes and lust for domination”. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío wrote that “the United States is resorting to public recruitment for the CIA” and that “there must be a great deal of desperation or misery within the agency”, AFP reported.

The US government announced new sanctions last week on Cuba’s state-run bank, saying it had ties to Iran, CBS News reported. In May, Trump told reporters that earlier US presidents had considered intervening in Cuba and that “it looks like I’ll be the one that does it”, according to AP. US midterm elections are on 3 November.