Trump said one of the ships could stop about 50 yards off Cuba’s coast before Secretary of State Marco Rubio was sent to “finish up the deal,” according to the remarks reported by the supplied sources. The comments renewed his interventionist rhetoric toward Cuba but did not specify what concrete action would follow.
Rubio subsequently called for action on Cuba in a social-media post. He has also described Cuba as a longstanding national-security threat because of its ties to U.S. adversaries and said the administration wanted to address the issue.
At the same time, Rubio has expressed support for resolving differences with Cuba peacefully while doubting that diplomacy with the island’s current government would succeed. The supplied material therefore records both public discussion of possible military intervention and a stated preference for a peaceful resolution.
The statements were made on October 23, 2026, at a Florida rally for Republican candidates in the South Florida area. They revive a tougher U.S. posture toward Cuba in public political rhetoric, but the supplied reports do not establish what operational steps, if any, would follow.
The available evidence does not establish that a military operation against Cuba was ordered or underway, nor does it establish that the referenced ships actually stopped near the island. It documents suggestions and political statements rather than a confirmed military development.