Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will travel to an American military base on the island of Cuba Wednesday as the U.S. continues an oil blockade against the country and following Trump’s threats to oust its leaders by force.
The Pentagon said Hegseth will visit troops on the U.S. Navy base on Guantanamo Bay, which the U.S. operates despite diminished relations since the 1960s. Hegseth will also visit troops at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Florida.
The top U.S. commander in Latin America met with Cuban military leaders in May in a “brief exchange on operational security matters.”
Trump has warned of using military force against Cuba, while American warships operate in the Caribbean Sea. The U.S. also indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro on federal charges.