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Rubio urges Cubans to work with CIA for political change
ReRubio urges Cubans to work with CIA for political change
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Cubans seeking change to discreetly partner with the CIA, while President Trump suggested Rubio could negotiate a deal with Havana.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday urged Cubans seeking political change to discreetly cooperate with the CIA, as President Donald Trump separately floated sending Rubio to the communist-run island to negotiate a deal. Rubio made the call in a post on X, framing it as an opportunity for those who want reform in Cuba.
In the post, Rubio wrote, « To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time. » He pointed to what he described as failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of a small group of officials, and urged Cubans to « seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA. » The message did not identify a specific operation or explain what such cooperation would involve.
Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, has long pushed for a tougher U.S. approach toward the Cuban government. As a former Florida senator, he has been a prominent critic of the leadership in Havana and has opposed efforts to normalize relations without political reforms.
The remarks came as Trump, speaking at a midterm rally in Fort Myers, Florida, raised the possibility of U.S. ships stopping near Cuba while discussing Iran. « Don't worry. We'll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran with it, » Trump told the crowd. He described a scenario in which ships would pass Cuba and one would stop about 50 yards off the coast.
Trump then suggested Rubio could handle any negotiations with the island. « And then we're going to send Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal, » he said, adding, « He's a great guy. » Trump did not provide details about any proposed agreement with Cuba or indicate whether his remarks reflected an actual military or diplomatic plan.
Fox News Digital reached out to the CIA, the State Department, the White House, and the Cuban Embassy in Washington for comment on the remarks.
The episode comes amid a separate debate over U.S. reliance on private technology. Reuters reported Friday that both the Biden and Trump administrations asked SpaceX several times to switch its Starlink service on or off in various countries, according to six former senior U.S. officials. The report followed Rubio's statement on Wednesday that the U.S. government could not direct private companies on their decisions, a claim that the Reuters account complicates. Former officials said Biden aides asked the company to disable Starlink terminals used by the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and that at least some were shut down. A former senior Trump official told Reuters the administration discussed with Musk getting Starlink terminals into Iran after U.S.-Israeli strikes in June 2025 and again in February 2026.
Musk said earlier this week that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government, and that limits on speed or usage are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately the president. Trump said Friday he had not spoken with Musk about the issue, adding, « if there is a problem, I'll get it straightened out. » Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) warned that « unelected billionaires and private corporations should not decide what is in the best interest of America's national security. » SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. Ukraine's embassy in Washington said its priority is restoring the service to normal speed « as soon as possible, as the lives of our people depend on it. »
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