OAN Staff Cory Hawkins and Brooke Mallory
11:42 AM – Tuesday, January 13, 2026
In the latest escalation of U.S.-Cuba tensions, President Donald Trump amplified a viral social media joke suggesting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio could become the next president of Cuba, responding with a casual “Sounds good to me!” on his Truth Social platform.
However, the tongue-in-cheek joke, made amid broader U.S. pressure on Havana following the capture of Venezuelan socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro, quickly drew sharp rebukes from Cuban authorities, who viewed it as an example of American “hegemonic arrogance.”
On his Truth Social account, Trump posted the response on Sunday after an online user wrote, “Marco Rubio will be president of Cuba” — a statement that has been reposted throughout social media in reference to Rubio’s vast portfolio while serving in the Trump administration.
The playful suggestion also comes on the heels of Trump’s stern warning to Cuba, where he declared that “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!” He urged Havana to “make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” referencing the end of Venezuelan subsidized oil and financial support that has long propped up the island’s economy.
“Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided “Security Services” for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE! Most of those Cubans are DEAD from last weeks U. S. A. attack, and Venezuela doesn’t need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years. Venezuela now has the United States of America, the most powerful military in the World (by far! ), to protect them, and protect them we will. THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”
Former Special Government Employee (SGE) in the second Trump administration, Elon Musk, also weighed in on the jokes, responding to an X post that quipped Rubio could one day be “president of Venezuela, governor of Cuba, and the Shah of Iran” by writing that he would “support this 100%.”
Meanwhile, the timing appears to signal an intensification — albeit more subtle and humorous in nature — of Washington’s pressure on socialist and communist governments in the region, many of which have faced long-standing allegations of complicity in state-sponsored narcotics trafficking.
Rubio officially serves as Secretary of State, and he is an acting National Security Advisor and acting Archivist of the United States as well. He also previously served as acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) before the agency was discontinued in July.
Following the posted remarks, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel took to X to assert Cuba’s independence, posting: “Cuba is a free, independent, and sovereign nation,” while emphasizing that “no one dictates what we do.”
In related statements, he also rejected any notion of negotiations beyond technical contacts, declaring that those who “turn everything into a business, even human lives, have no moral authority to point the finger at Cuba.”
Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez echoed this sentiment as well, insisting that “right and justice are on Cuba’s side” while accusing the U.S. of acting like a global hegemon. Cuban state media, including outlets like Granma, have portrayed Rubio as a “mythomaniac” obsessed with regime change, tying the incident to longstanding U.S. efforts to undermine the communist government.
Cuban leadership is essentially framing Trump’s social media response not as “satire,” but as a precursor to potential military or economic escalation against the island.
Rubio himself, a Floridian of Cuban descent who is known for his hardline stance against Havana, did not directly address the joke but has repeatedly warned that Cuba is “in a lot of trouble.” In recent interviews, he described the island’s leadership as “incompetent, senile men” and suggested that without Venezuelan backing, the regime could collapse on its own.
“Cuba is a disaster. It’s run by incompetent, senile men and in some cases not senile but incompetent, nonetheless.”
The circulating Rubio memes stem from a photo of Rubio during a tense February 28, 2025, Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In the shot, Rubio appears visibly uncomfortable as a heated exchange unfolds before the press.
Amid the viral fallout, at the time, a bizarre rumor also gained traction claiming Rubio — a well-known football enthusiast — had secretly taken over as head coach and general manager of the Miami Dolphins. Rubio eventually issued a lighthearted denial to put the speculation to rest.
Meanwhile, Trump’s recent Truth Social post comes as the administration weighs its strategy for the Caribbean, following the high-stakes removal of Maduro from power.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are currently in New York City awaiting trial on charges of narco-terrorism. Both have pleaded not guilty.
“If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I would be concerned. At least a little bit,” Rubio told reporters after the successful ‘Operation Absolute Resolve’ saw the capture of Maduro.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below