President Donald Trump hinted at the possibility of military action against Cuba in an interview released on the 19th (local time), referring to his earlier remark, "after Iran is finished, it's Cuba's turn."
In an interview released on the 19th (local time) with the U.S. online outlet Axios, President Trump, when asked whether a military operation against Cuba would proceed similarly to the one carried out in Venezuela earlier this year, said, "It's possible, and it could happen."
Trump went on to say, "Venezuela is relatively close, and Cuba is right next door," adding, "Iran is a very distant place." This can be interpreted to mean a similar operation would be easier because Cuba is geographically much closer than Venezuela or Iran.
The Donald Trump administration indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro last month. This also prompted speculation that the United States might carry out in Cuba an operation similar to the one in which Venezuelan President Maduro was extradited to the United States.
Trump also addressed Israel's attack on Lebanon, saying, "It can be stopped, and they respect me very much," while adding, "We have to keep him somewhat in line."
Trump also described China's President Xi Jinping as "a very smart person." He added, "I told President Xi, 'I would really appreciate it if you did not get involved (in the Iran issue).'"