Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday urged Cubans seeking political change to work discreetly with the CIA, while President Donald Trump separately suggested that Rubio could travel to the communist-run island to negotiate an agreement.
“To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba – now is the time,” Rubio wrote on X.
“The disappointment of failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of only a few; seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA.”
Rubio’s post directly called on Cubans to cooperate with the U.S. intelligence agency, but it offered no details about a particular operation or what that partnership would entail.
The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio has consistently supported a tougher U.S. policy toward Cuba’s government.
The former Florida senator has been a leading critic of Havana’s communist leadership and has opposed normalizing relations without political reforms.
Trump, meanwhile, mentioned the possibility of U.S. ships stopping near Cuba while speaking about Iran at a Friday midterm rally in Fort Myers, Florida.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters alongside White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, left, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, center, after U.S. military actions in Venezuela at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Fla., Jan. 3, 2026. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
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“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran with it. We’ll do a little stopover now. We’ll do a little stopover,” Trump told the crowd.
“Actually, what we’re going to do with Cuba is we’re going to come back from Iran. Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We’ll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They’ll raise up their hands.”
Trump then indicated that Rubio could take charge of negotiations with the communist-run island.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US President Donald Trump speak to the press following US military actions in Venezuela, at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Fla., Jan. 3, 2026. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
“And then we’re going to send Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal. We’ll have Marco. Marco. We don’t even have to stop. We could just put him in there and he’ll figure it out. He’s a great guy.”
Trump provided no specifics about a potential agreement with Cuba and did not clarify whether his comments represented an actual military or diplomatic plan.
News Media contacted the CIA, the State Department, the White House and Cuba’s embassy in Washington, D.C., seeking comment.
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