WASHINGTON, DC (By The White House, 29.Jan.2026, Words: 502) — Today, US president Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order declaring a national emergency and establishing a process to impose tariffs on goods from countries that sell or otherwise provide oil to Cuba, protecting US national security and foreign policy from the Cuban regime’s malign actions and policies.
CONFRONTING THE CUBAN REGIME
— the Order imposes a new tariff system that allows the United States to impose additional tariffs on imports from any country that directly or indirectly provides oil to Cuba.
— the Order authorizes the Secretary of State and Secretary of Commerce to take all necessary actions, including issuing rules and guidance, to implement the tariff system and related measures.
— the President may modify the Order if Cuba or affected countries take significant steps to address the threat or align with US national security and foreign policy objectives.
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COUNTERING CUBA’S MALIGN INFLUENCE
The president is addressing the depredations of the communist Cuban regime by taking decisive action to hold the Cuban regime accountable for its support of hostile actors, terrorism, and regional instability that endanger American security and foreign policy.
— the Cuban regime aligns itself with numerous hostile countries and malign actors, hosting their military and intelligence capabilities. For example, Cuba hosts Russia’s largest overseas signals intelligence facility focused on stealing sensitive national security information from the United States.
— Cuba provides safe haven for transnational terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and supports adversaries in the Western Hemisphere, undermining US sanctions and regional stability.
— the regime persecutes and tortures political opponents, denies free speech and press, profits corruptly from the Cuban people’s misery, and incites chaos by spreading communist ideology across the region.
— these actions constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to US national security and foreign policy, requiring immediate response to protect American citizens and interests.
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PUTTING AMERICA FIRST
Trump has consistently confronted regimes that threaten US security and interests, delivering where others have failed to hold adversaries accountable.
— President Trump is continuing efforts from his first term to stand with the Cuban people and hold the regime accountable.
-In his first term, Trump implemented a robust policy toward Cuba, reversing the Obama administration’s one-sided deal that eased restrictions without securing meaningful reforms for the Cuban people.
— in Jun. 2025, Trump implemented partial travel restrictions on nationals from Cuba due to its role as a state sponsor of terrorism, its failure to cooperate or share sufficient law enforcement information with the United States, its historical refusal to accept back its removable nationals, and its high visa overstay rate.
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— in June 2025, Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) to strengthen the policy of the US toward Cuba.
— this is not the first time Trump has taken a tough stance against hostile regimes — in just the past few months, he has ordered strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and authorized operations to remove Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro from power, making clear that dictators and state sponsors of terrorism will be held to account.
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