WASHINGTON, USA — US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close ally of US President Trump, said that Cuba could become the next target of United States pressure under Trump, asserting that the island’s communist leadership is approaching the end of its rule.
Speaking on Sunday, March 1, 2026, during an interview with Trey Gowdy on Fox News, Graham suggested that recent actions taken by Washington abroad indicate a wider policy aimed at governments viewed by the administration as adversarial.
“Cuba is next,” Graham said. “They are going to fall. This communist dictatorship in Cuba — their days are numbered.”
Comments Framed Around Recent U.S. Actions Abroad
During the interview, Graham linked his remarks to recent developments involving other countries that have drawn American involvement.
He cited the arrest of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and recent joint military operations carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran as examples of what he described as firm action by the Trump administration.
According to Graham, discussions about how to address Maduro had persisted for years before Trump authorised operations that resulted in Maduro’s capture and his transfer to the United States, where he faces narcoterrorism charges.
“All I can say is President Trump finished the job that President Reagan failed to do,” Graham said.
Lindsey Graham: Cuba is next. They are going to fall. Their days are numbered. pic.twitter.com/XZd1PyIqDP
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 2, 2026
Strained Relations Between Washington and Havana
Tensions between the United States and Cuba have intensified in recent months.
Cuba has faced mounting economic pressure following the decline of assistance from Venezuela, whose oil supplies have long supported the island’s economy.
At the same time, the Trump administration has expanded sanctions and increased diplomatic pressure on governments in the region that maintain close ties with Havana.
President Trump recently raised the possibility of what he described as a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, saying the country’s economic difficulties could eventually lead to negotiations with the United States.
“They have no money, no oil, no food,” Trump said while speaking with reporters, referring to the country’s economic conditions.
Cuban officials have said that there are no formal high-level discussions under way between Havana and Washington.
Debate Over Regional Stability
Graham’s remarks have prompted criticism from analysts and political opponents who argue that public discussion of regime change risks increasing tensions across Latin America.
The United States and Cuba have had strained relations since the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Over the decades, sanctions, covert activities and diplomatic confrontations have defined the relationship between the two countries.
Some specialists in regional affairs say statements about removing governments recall periods of Cold War intervention in the Western Hemisphere.
Supporters of the administration, however, say pressure on Havana reflects a broader strategy aimed at confronting authoritarian governments in the region.
Whether the United States intends to take further steps toward Cuba remains uncertain. Graham’s comments, however, illustrate the sharper tone that has recently emerged in Washington’s public discussion of the island nation.
