Trump hints at 'friendly takeover' of Cuba: 'They want our help'

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump on Friday, February 27, hinted at the “friendly takeover” of Cuba. He, however, did not provide much information about it as he took questions from reporters on the White House driveway before leaving for Texas.

The president said, “The Cuban government is talking with us. They're in a big deal of trouble, as you know,” after being asked about a deadly confrontation between the US-registered vessel and the Cuban troops near Cuba's coast on Wednesday, which led to the death of at least one American citizen. 

Trump claims Cuba has 'no anything right now', wants US help

“They have no money, they have no anything right now. But they're talking with us,” Trump stated, before adding, “Maybe we'll have a friendly takeover of Cuba. We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba.”

He also claimed that Cuba has “no oil, they have no food, and it's really, right now, a nation in deep trouble and they want our help."

Trump says he can see change happening in Cuba

As per reports, Trump has been thinking about Cuba after the capture of one of its closest allies, Venezuela’s former President Nicolas Maduro. Early in January, the US launched a military strike in Venezuela, capturing Maduro alongside his wife, Cilia Flores.

During his conversation with reporters, the commander-in-chief shared that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is "dealing" with Cuba "at a very high level."

The 79-year-old said, "Cuba right now is, to put it mildly, a failing nation. And I've been hearing about Cuba. I said before, since I'm a little boy, I've been hearing about Cuba. And everybody wanted to change. And I can see that happening."

Trump previously claimed 'Cuba will not be able to survive'

Trump’s comment came almost a month after he threatened to impose tariffs on countries that give oil to Cuba. As per an executive order signed by the Republican leader, “policies, practices, and actions of the Government of Cuba constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat.”

Also, on the red carpet of the Kennedy Center before the premiere of the ‘Melania’ documentary, Trump said, “Cuba is a failing nation, and you have to feel badly for Cuba.”

“They've treated people very badly. We have a lot of Cuban Americans who really were treated very badly, and they'd probably like to go back... I think Cuba will not be able to survive,” he claimed.