President Trump Signs Executive Order Imposing Sanctions on Cuban Officials

Trump signed an executive order on May 1, 2026, imposing sanctions on Cuban government officials responsible for human rights abuses and activities that affect U.S. national security and foreign policy, according to a White House fact sheet. The sanctions add targeted officials to the Specially Designated Nationals list, freezing their U.S. assets and prohibiting transactions with them effective immediately.

The measures also authorize the State Department to deny visas to these officials.

The Treasury Department is responsible for implementing the sanctions by identifying and listing specific individuals. This process triggers enforcement actions such as asset seizures and requires financial institutions worldwide to avoid dealings with the designated persons.

The fact sheet states that the sanctions target officials involved in activities that undermine U.S. interests. While the exact number of affected officials is not specified, similar measures under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act have typically impacted dozens of high-level personnel in foreign governments.

Prior to this order, the U.S. maintained existing sanctions on Cuba but had not recently added new individual targets related to these issues. Congress has not passed related legislation in the current session, making executive authority the primary mechanism for U.S. policy toward Cuba.