Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday urged Cubans who want political change on the island to work quietly with the CIA, a message that landed the same day President Donald Trump told a Florida rally that U.S. warships could make a stop near Cuba on their way home from the Iran war, according to Fox News, Reuters and the Associated Press.
“To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba – now is the time,” Rubio wrote in a post on X. He went on to cite “the disappointment of failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of only a few” and urged Cubans to “seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA,” according to the post.
To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba – now is the time.
The disappointment of failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of only a few; seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) October 23, 2026
Fox News reported that Rubio’s message did not identify a specific operation or explain what such cooperation would involve. Reuters likewise reported that Rubio did not elaborate further. Rubio’s post had drawn more than 5.8 million views on X by Saturday morning, according to the platform’s public metrics.
Trump: “We’ll take care of Cuba”
Hours earlier, Trump raised Cuba while discussing Iran at a midterm rally for candidates in Fort Myers, Florida, according to Fox News and the AP. “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran,” Trump told the crowd, according to Fox News. “Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We’ll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They’ll raise up their hands.”
Trump then suggested Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, could close out any negotiation. “And then we’re going to send Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal,” Trump said, according to Fox News, adding that Rubio is “a great guy” who would “figure it out.”
Fox News reported that Trump did not provide details about any proposed agreement with Cuba or say whether his remarks reflected an actual military or diplomatic plan. The AP described the comments as the president’s latest suggestion of an interventionist approach toward the nearby communist-run country.
CIA posts instructions in Spanish
After Rubio’s post, the CIA uploaded a video to X with instructions in Spanish for people who believe they have information of interest to the agency, according to Agence France-Presse. The agency encouraged would-be sources to visit an official U.S. installation in person if they can travel to one safely, and advised those reaching out online through cia.gov to use a secure network such as a VPN, a private browser and an email account not tied to personal details, AFP reported.
Pressure on Havana
The administration has previously said its goal is to change Cuba’s communist government, according to Reuters. The wire service reported that a U.S.-imposed oil blockade put in place earlier this year has left Cuba under severe strain, with fuel shortages and blackouts made worse by failing infrastructure.
Reuters also reported that Washington has stepped up pressure on Havana since the U.S. military seized then-Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a January raid. Fox News noted that Rubio has long pushed for a tougher U.S. line on the Cuban regime and has warned that Cuba has infiltrated the United States with spies.
Cuba’s government has signaled it is open to talks. Cuba’s foreign minister told the United Nations General Assembly last month that Cuba would always be open to dialogue with Washington, according to Reuters.
The U.S. has maintained an embargo on Cuba for more than 60 years, Reuters noted. Neither the White House nor the State Department has announced any specific military deployment to Cuban waters, and the president’s rally remarks did not set a timeline.
Sources
Sources cited
- https://www.foxnews.com/world/rubio-urges-cubans-work-cia-bring-political-change-communist-run-island
- https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-cuba-venezuela-florida-3b33aab6719558e289632e974c7a82ad
- https://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/trump-says-us-will-take-care-of-cuba-on-its-way-back-from-iran-4970339
- https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20261023-rubio-urges-cubans-to-work-with-cia-but-warns-be-discreet
Sources
- Original post: Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) on X, Oct 23, 2026
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