CIA Director Meets Cuban Officials In Havana To Deliver Trump Message On Economic And Security Engagement

The Central Intelligence Agency released photos of its director meeting with Cuban officials in Havana on Thursday as the United States has increased pressure on the country. A CIA official told The Associated Press that the director was there to personally deliver President Donald Trump’s message that the United States is prepared to seriously engage on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes fundamental changes.

The photos posted to X showed the director and several U.S. officials, some of whose faces were blurred, holding talks with Cuba’s Interior Minister, the head of Cuban intelligence and Raúl Castro’s grandson.

Increased U.S.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly mused about taking over Cuba and suggested on May 8 that a U.S. aircraft might leave the Iran War theater and position itself off the country’s coast. The administration has also intensified its economic measures, blocking oil shipments since January.

Amid energy blackouts, a collapsing economy and protests in the capital, Cuba’s oil and gas supplies have now run dry, according to Cuban Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy.

Military Activity Near Cuba The U.S.

Air Force is intensifying its reconnaissance flights off Cuba’s coast. Since Feb. 4, the U.S. Navy and Air Force have conducted at least 25 intelligence-gathering flights, according to CNN. Most of these have occurred near Havana and Santiago de Cuba, with some getting within 40 miles of Cuba’s coastline.

The U.S. military has reportedly used P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes, RC-135V Rivet Joint signals intelligence aircraft and MQ-4C Triton high-altitude drones. These same aircraft were deployed ahead of the raid on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.