Will Trump actually try to "take" Cuba?
April 24, 2026
On Ian Explains, host Ian Bremmer makes complex issues about global politics understandable. Ian Explains is a weekly segment on GZERO WORLD with Ian Bremmer, GZERO's weekly program about global news and current affairs.
Trump says he will have "the honor of taking Cuba." While a military intervention seems unlikely for now, US pressure has pushed Cuba's economy into freefall, and Trump wants to be the president who finally delivers what no one else could.
The problem: Cuba has no political alternative to replace the Castro government, and even an economic deal risks a backlash from Cuban Americans who want regime change. Ian Bremmer breaks down what Trump actually wants from Cuba, and why it won't be simple.
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