US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order threatening to impose additional tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba, in a move that sharply escalates economic pressure on the communist-run island.
The order, signed on Thursday, does not specify the level of tariffs or identify which countries could be targeted. Those decisions will be determined later by the US commerce secretary, according to the directive. The White House said the measure is aimed at intensifying pressure on the Cuban government.
Cuba has been under a US trade embargo since 1962 and has traditionally relied on oil imports from Venezuela. That supply has been disrupted in recent weeks following political upheaval in Venezuela and Washington’s efforts to bring Venezuelan oil exports under tighter US control, effectively cutting off a key energy lifeline to Havana.
Following the start of operations in Venezuela, Trump warned that all oil and financial flows to Cuba would be shut down. In a social media post, he urged Havana to reach a deal “before it’s too late”, though US officials have not clarified what kind of agreement Washington is seeking.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez condemned the executive order, describing it as a “brutal act of aggression against Cuba and its people”. Writing on X, he said Cubans have endured what he called the world’s longest and harshest economic blockade for more than six decades.
The executive order states that any country involved directly or indirectly in selling or transporting oil to Cuba could face punitive tariffs. It invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and designates the Cuban government as an “extraordinary threat” to US national security.
Several tariff measures imposed under IEEPA are currently facing legal challenges in the US Supreme Court.
In the accompanying declaration of a national emergency related to Cuba, the Trump administration accused Havana of supporting governments and groups hostile to the United States. The order alleges that Cuba provides assistance to countries such as Russia, China and Iran, as well as armed groups including Hamas and Hezbollah.
The new sanctions threat comes as Cuba grapples with one of the most severe economic crises in its modern history. The country is experiencing daily power outages lasting up to 20 hours, alongside widespread shortages of food and medicine. The deteriorating conditions have driven a sharp rise in emigration.
Mexico has recently emerged as one of Cuba’s main oil suppliers, but media reports suggest deliveries could now be scaled back under US pressure. Asked about the issue earlier this week, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum neither confirmed nor denied any reduction in supply, saying only that Mexico would continue to show “solidarity” with Cuba.
The latest move signals a renewed hardline approach by Washington toward Havana, raising concerns among analysts that further restrictions could deepen Cuba’s humanitarian and energy crisis while increasing tensions across the region.
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