Key facts
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Guantanamo Bay on Wednesday.
- Hegseth warned Cuba against acquiring weapons, citing reports of drone purchases from Russia and Iran since 2023.
- Hegseth stated the U.S. military is prepared for any contingency.
- The visit is part of President Trump's intensified pressure campaign on Cuba.
- The U.S. will strike Iran on Wednesday and bomb key facilities, according to Hegseth.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Wednesday, stating that the U.S. military is prepared for any contingency amid heightened tensions with the island nation. Hegseth's visit is part of President Trump's intensified pressure campaign on Cuba, which includes reports of the island acquiring military drones from Russia and Iran since 2023. Hegseth told troops that the future of Cuba rests with President Trump and Havana's leadership. He is the latest senior Trump administration official to visit the region, following trips by U.S. Southern Command head Gen. Francis Donovan and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Donovan met with Cuban military leaders at Guantanamo Bay. The Trump administration has imposed a fuel blockade on Cuba and ramped up opposition to its government. President Trump has suggested a potential military invasion, and the Justice Department indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro on murder charges. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed skepticism about a negotiated agreement, while Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez warned of a 'bloodbath' in response to any military action. Separately, Hegseth announced that the United States will strike Iran on Wednesday, bombing "key facilities."