Will Trump invade Cuba?
Americast
BBC
4.3 • 3.1K Ratings
🗓️ 22 May 2026
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What is President Trump’s plan for the future of Cuba? His oil blockade has crippled the island’s economy and could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe. He has indicted former President Raul Castro for murder and put sanctions on Cuba’s military leaders, but what might be his next steps? Is he thinking about using the Venezuela playbook and snatching the 94 year old leader?
In this episode, Sarah and Anthony discuss what Trump’s options are in Cuba and whether military action is feasible and likely.
We also hear from Carlos Cubelo - a former Republican Congressman from Florida who is the son of Cuban immigrants and ask what do Cuban Americans think about Trump’s course of action?
HOSTS: • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
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This episode was made by Tom Gillett, Grace Reeve and Purvee Pattni. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts |
| 0:04.5 | Newscast is on the face of it, a podcast about the news. |
| 0:11.2 | But it's also perhaps the world's most athletic podcast, |
| 0:14.0 | we have BBC correspondents dashing in and out, |
| 0:16.3 | ready to give us a deeper understanding of the biggest stories of the day. |
| 0:19.9 | Thankfully, we let them catch their breath before we actually start recording the podcast. |
| 0:24.1 | Listen to newscast every day on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:27.5 | Does Donald Trump have a plan for Cuba? |
| 0:30.2 | And if he does, what might it be? |
| 0:32.2 | We've already seen a big escalation this week because the US has charged Raoul Castro, |
| 0:39.2 | the 94-year-old former leader with four counts of murder in a case that dates all the way back to 1996. Add to that, Trump's economic |
| 0:45.0 | blockade of the island, which is causing a really dire humanitarian situation in Cuba, does this all add up |
| 0:50.9 | to the United States trying to force a change of government in Havana? |
| 0:54.9 | Well, we will go through all the various political maneuverings and get a sense of what's actually going on behind the headlines and try and work out if Donald Trump is close to a Cuban takeover. |
| 1:05.7 | Welcome to AmeriCast. |
| 1:09.6 | AmeriCast from BBC News. |
| 1:12.7 | You hear that sound? |
| 1:13.8 | Oh, I think when I hear that sound, it reminds me of money. |
| 1:17.5 | We didn't start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it. |
| 1:21.8 | This is a big cover-up, and this administration is engaged in it. |
| 1:25.1 | This guy has Trump-arrangement syndrome. |
| 1:27.4 | I have four words for you. |
... |
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