US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency over what his administration describes as a serious threat posed by the Cuban government to American national security and foreign policy.
The move, announced through an executive order signed at the White House, paves the way for a new tariff regime that could penalise countries supplying oil to the Caribbean nation.
The order invokes existing emergency powers, stating that developments linked to Cuba constitute an ‘unusual and extraordinary threat’ originating largely outside the United States. Trump said the declaration was necessary to safeguard US strategic interests.
According to the executive order, Washington accuses Havana of maintaining close ties with adversarial states and organisations.
The document claims Cuba has aligned itself with countries such as Russia, China and Iran, as well as groups designated by the US as terrorist organisations, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
Trump asserted that Cuba allows hostile actors to establish advanced military and intelligence capabilities on its soil.
He specifically referenced what the administration describes as Russia’s largest overseas signals intelligence facility operating from Cuban territory, alongside expanding defence and intelligence cooperation with China.
Claims of Regional Destabilisation and Rights Abuses
Beyond security concerns, the order alleges that Cuba contributes to regional instability by supporting hostile networks across the Western Hemisphere.
It further accuses the Cuban government of repressing its population through restrictions on free speech, the press and civil society, as well as targeting families of political prisoners and religious groups.
The administration said these actions undermine regional stability, the rule of law and broader international sanctions regimes.
To counter what it calls the Cuban threat, the executive order establishes a mechanism to impose additional import duties on countries that directly or indirectly supply oil to Cuba.
Under the framework, the US Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Secretary of State, will determine whether a country is providing such supplies, including through intermediaries.
Subsequently, the State Department, working with other federal agencies, will decide the scale and scope of any additional tariffs.
Trump said the measures reflect a firm stance, while reiterating US support for the Cuban people’s aspirations for democratic freedoms.
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