As his administration continues to squeeze the Cuban government, President Donald Trump struck a more diplomatic tone on Tuesday.
He told Semafor during a tour of the White House ballroom construction site that Cuba is “a failed nation” that “needs help” from the US, adding that he believes a diplomatic deal can be made.
While aides and allies portray military action as a last resort, Trump indicated that it’s not at the front of his mind. “I don’t know about changing the regime,” he told Semafor when asked whether a new government in Cuba is needed to make progress.
“I could do that, whether you change the regime or not. … It’s been a tough regime. They’ve killed a lot of people.”
The US is expected to unveil an indictment of former Cuban president Raúl Castro on Wednesday, Cuban Independence Day.