Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. is sending the very first humanitarian aid shipment to Cuba to help residents recover from the immense damage caused by Hurricane Melissa, as per The Hill. The United States maintains a strict economic embargo against the island, but the Trump Administration is making sure this aid gets where it needs to go.
Rubio was crystal clear about the goal of this relief effort. He stated on X, “We are working with the Catholic Church and partners to ensure aid reaches the Cuban people directly, not the illegitimate regime.” He added that “The Trump Administration stands with the Cuban people.”
The need for this assistance is severe. Hurricane Melissa slammed into Santiago de Cuba last October as a Category 3 monster. The storm battered the island with heavy rainfall and strong winds, causing incredible destruction. Officials reported collapsed houses, roofs blown off buildings, and mountain roads blocked, with the worst damage concentrated in the southwest and northwest parts of the country.
The political temperature between the U.S. and Cuba has been hitting a boiling point lately
A December report from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies described the humanitarian situation as “severe.” Close to 2.2 million people in Cuba were affected, and they are still struggling with limited access to safe shelter, clean water, electricity, and basic transportation. That’s why the U.S. issued a formal Declaration of Humanitarian Assistance, which uses exceptions in the existing economic embargo to allow exports of food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods.
Now, here’s where things get complicated. Even while sending this critical aid, the State Department is simultaneously cranking up the pressure on the government. They just announced a pause in the processing of immigration visas from Cuba, along with 74 other countries.
This tough stance fits right into Rubio’s established pattern regarding the regime. As one of his first acts as Secretary of State last January, he reinstated financial sanctions on entities linked to the military and government. This move reversed a decision made by former President Joe Biden’s administration to lift the country’s terrorism designation, which President Trump had implemented during his first term.
This move comes right after the U.S. and its allies intervened in Venezuela earlier this month, leading to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Rubio didn’t hold back on his opinion of Cuba’s current leadership, stating later that day that the country was being “run by incompetent, senile men, and in some cases not seen now, but incompetent nonetheless.”
President Trump jumped into the fray, too. He suggested Cuba needs to strike a deal with the U.S. “BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” writing in a Truth Social post, “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA, ZERO!”
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, however, absolutely brushed off the demand. He posted on X that “no one dictates what we do.” Canel emphasized that Cuba is “a free, independent, and sovereign nation” and is ready to defend itself, preparing “to defend the Homeland to the last drop of blood.” It’s clear that while humanitarian goods are finally flowing, the political fight between these two nations is intensifying quickly.
Published: Jan 15, 2026 01:00 pm