President Donald Trump expressed optimism that the United States and Cuba will reach an agreement, suggesting that military intervention is unlikely to be necessary. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump stated, “I would say that Cuba and us will make a deal. I don’t think we’ll need the military.”

The Trump administration has made it clear that its objective is to bring about a change in Cuba’s government. Earlier this year, the U.S. imposed an oil embargo on the island, which has contributed to severe fuel shortages and widespread blackouts, further straining Cuba’s already fragile infrastructure.

“We want to help Cuba,” Trump said before departing for Tennessee. “We want to open Cuba up to our people.”

During his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump described Cuba as a failed state and asserted that “freedom will be coming” to the country. The Cuban delegation responded by walking out of the assembly hall during his speech.

In response, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Saturday that while Cuba remains open to dialogue with the United States, it opposed the longstanding U.S. trade embargo. “We are open to commercial and business relationships with U.S. companies, just as we are with any other country,” Rodriguez stated, though he did not comment directly on Trump’s remarks.

The United States has maintained the trade embargo on Cuba for more than six decades, with the Trump administration intensifying economic and diplomatic pressure in recent months. Despite this, the Cuban government has signaled willingness to engage in discussions, aiming to balance openness to commerce with continued resistance to the embargo.