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President Donald Trump Late on Sunday, it was predicted that Cuba was “ready to fall” after US troops captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, warning that Havana could no longer rely on Caracas for security and oil.
Trump said Cuba's fate is now directly linked to the overthrow of Maduro and the collapse of Venezuela's ability to finance allies in the region.
Asked if he considers US actions in CubaTrump responded: “I think it will just fall. I don't think we need any action. It looks like it's declining. It's declining in number.”
The president's comments during a news conference with reporters aboard Air Force One came after Saturday's speech. capture of Maduro and his wife on charges of drug-terrorism conspiracy. The bold operation sent shockwaves through allied governments in the region, with Cuban officials calling for rallies in support of Venezuela and accusing the United States of violating sovereignty.
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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Air Force One, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, as it returns to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
U.S. officials say Cuban security forces have played a central role in keeping Maduro in power. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuban operatives effectively managed Venezuela's domestic intelligence and security operations, including Maduro's personal protection and loyalty control within his government.
Protesters gather outside the White House in Washington on Saturday, January 3, 2026, after the US captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a military operation. (Julia Demaree Nihinson/AP Photo)
“It was the Cubans who protected Maduro,” Rubio said. “He was not protected by Venezuelan bodyguards. He had Cuban bodyguards.”
The Cuban government acknowledged Sunday that 32 Cuban military and police officers were killed during the U.S. operation in Venezuela, the first official death toll released by Havana. Cuban state media said the officers were sent at the request of Caracas and declared two days of national mourning.
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Trump confirmed Cuban casualties during his return to Washington.
“A lot of Cubans were killed yesterday,” he said. “There were a lot of deaths on the other side. There were no deaths on our side.”
Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores face a “worst-case scenario” in U.S. custody as they face federal drug and weapons charges, an expert says. (Juan BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump also took aim at neighboring Colombia, accusing its leadership of inciting drug trafficking in the USA
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“Colombia is very sick, run by a sick man who loves to make cocaine and sell it to the United States,” Trump said, adding that the country is “not going to do this for a very long time.”
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a military ceremony marking the 200th anniversary of the awarding of the “Sword of Peru” to Venezuelan independence hero Simon Bolivar on November 25, 2025 in Caracas, Venezuela. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
He suggested the US is ready to act against drug trafficking networks operating on land and at sea, citing recent bans.
Trump also renewed his long-standing focus on Greenland, arguing that the Arctic territory is critical to U.S. security amid growing activity from Russia and China.
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“We need Greenland from a national security standpoint,” Trump said. “Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships everywhere.”
Trump called Saturday's operation part of a broader effort to rebuild his forces. US dominance in the Western Hemisphereciting the Monroe Doctrine and warning that hostile regimes could no longer rely on each other for survival.
Maduro will appear in federal court in New York on Monday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
