Trump Threatens Tariffs on Countries Supplying Oil to Cuba in Escalating Pressure Campaign

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a sweeping executive order authorising new tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba, intensifying his administration’s pressure on the Communist-led island government.

The order, issued under a national emergency declaration, stops short of naming specific nations or detailing tariff rates, but gives the United States broad authority to impose additional duties on imports from countries that directly or indirectly provide petroleum to Cuba.

The move forms part of an escalating strategy to isolate Havana economically and politically. Cuba’s state media condemned the announcement, warning the measures could cripple essential services such as electricity generation, agriculture, water supply and healthcare amid an already severe economic crisis.

Trump has repeatedly cited Cuba’s alleged alliances with hostile states and armed groups as justification for the actions, asserting that the situation represents a threat to U.S. national security. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has dismissed the threats and criticised Washington’s approach as coercive.

The latest pressure comes in the context of deepening energy shortages in Cuba following U.S. moves that have restricted Venezuelan oil exports — a traditional lifeline for the island — and raised questions about whether Mexico and other allies will remain willing to continue supplying fuel under mounting U.S. pressure.

Trump’s use of tariff threats reflects a broader pattern in his foreign policy, where economic tools are deployed to achieve strategic goals and compel geopolitical shifts.