Trump Says He Expects a Deal With Cuba, Adds “I Don’t Think We’ll Need the Military”

President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday that he expects the United States and Cuba “will make a deal” and said, “I don’t think we’ll need the military.” His remarks came as the administration has stepped up pressure on Havana through sanctions and an oil blockade that U.S. officials say has worsened fuel shortages and blackouts on the island.

What Trump said and where

Speaking to reporters before departing for Tennessee, Trump expressed confidence that the two countries could reach an agreement without resorting to force. “I would say that Cuba and us will make a deal. I don’t think we’ll need the military,” he said, according to reporting by Reuters and reproduced in several outlets. He added that the United States wants to “help Cuba” and to “open Cuba up to our people,” and noted the interest of Cuban-Americans in returning, per the same reporting.

Context: U.S. pressure on Havana

The president’s comments come amid a clear increase in U.S. pressure on Cuba this year. Reuters and other outlets report the administration has imposed sanctions on Cuban entities and implemented an oil blockade earlier in the year. Those measures have been described in reporting as contributing to fuel shortages and power outages in Cuba.

Diplomatic exchanges at the U.N.

Trump used the United Nations General Assembly earlier in the week to call Cuba a “failed state” and to say “freedom will be coming” to the island; Reuters reported that the Cuban delegation walked out during his speech. At the U.N., Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said Havana remains open to dialogue and commercial relations with U.S. companies, while criticizing the longstanding U.S. trade embargo, according to Reuters.

Reports of U.S. military planning and their sourcing

Separately, media outlets have reported internal U.S. military messages and government planning related to Cuba. CBS News reported it obtained an internal U.S. Army Reserve message seeking military police, surgical teams and supply units that could be available within 90 to 120 days. That report cited anonymous U.S. officials who linked the request to “continued military planning aimed at Cuba.”

Commentators and some outlets have flagged that many stories about alleged U.S. plans for action in Cuba rely on anonymous sources. A reporting outlet that tracks Cuba coverage noted a pattern of anonymous briefings to the press this year, citing prior reports in outlets such as Politico and The New York Times that used unnamed sources to describe expanded U.S. intelligence activity and alleged contingency planning related to Cuba.

What is verified and what remains unclear

• Verified: President Trump publicly said he expects a deal with Cuba and stated “I don’t think we’ll need the military,” as reported by Reuters and carried by multiple outlets.
• Verified: The U.S. has imposed sanctions on Cuban entities and implemented an oil blockade earlier in the year; reporting links those measures to fuel shortages and blackouts in Cuba.
• Reported but not independently confirmed in this packet: U.S. military internal requests and alleged wider U.S. contingency planning tied to Cuba. Those accounts in mainstream outlets have relied on anonymous officials, and secondary coverage has criticized the sourcing pattern.

Implications for U.S. policy and Americans

Trump’s public optimism that a deal can be reached without force frames the administration’s approach as favoring pressure and leverage over direct military intervention. For U.S. policy, the statement could be intended to reassure domestic and international audiences that the administration is pursuing outcomes short of war while maintaining coercive measures such as sanctions and the oil blockade.

For Cuban-Americans and other U.S. interests, the administration’s stated goal to “open Cuba up to our people” signals an interest in expanding commercial and people-to-people engagement conditional on changes in Havana’s governance, according to Reuters reporting relayed in multiple outlets.

Timeline of reported actions and statements (2026)

1. Earlier in 2026: U.S. imposes an oil blockade on Cuba; reporting links this to fuel shortages and power outages on the island.
2. September (UN General Assembly): President Trump calls Cuba a “failed state” and says “freedom will be coming;” Cuban delegation reportedly walks out of the hall.
3. Late September: Media report internal U.S. military messages and unnamed-official briefings about planning related to Cuba; those reports spur questions about sourcing.
4. Sept. 26: At the White House, Trump tells reporters he expects the U.S. and Cuba “will make a deal” and that he doesn’t think military action will be necessary.

Unresolved questions

• Whether the internal U.S. military message reported by CBS and connected to Cuba reflects active operational planning, routine contingency preparations, or administrative readiness remains unresolved in the available reporting.
• The specific terms or framework of the “deal” Trump expects with Cuba were not described in his remarks reported in this packet.
• Cuba’s response beyond statements at the U.N. — including any negotiations or conditions Havana would require — has not been detailed in the reporting included here.

Bottom line

President Trump publicly predicted a U.S.-Cuba agreement and stated he does not believe military action will be necessary, comments made amid escalating U.S. pressure that Reuters and other outlets say includes sanctions and an oil blockade. Media reports of U.S. military messaging and contingency planning have appeared but rely heavily on anonymous sources; those accounts have not been independently corroborated in the evidence available here. Key details about any prospective deal and the extent of U.S. operational planning remain unresolved.

“I don’t think we’ll need the military.”