US President Donald Trump has issued a strong warning to Cuba, urging the Caribbean nation to reach an agreement with the United States “before it’s too late.” The warning comes just days after the US military launched an operation in Venezuela and follows a series of aggressive moves by the Trump administration aimed at reshaping political and economic dynamics in the Americas.

In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump declared that Cuba would no longer receive oil or financial support. “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” he wrote.

Trump said Cuba had survived for years on significant support from Venezuela. “Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela,” he stated, adding that in return, Havana provided security assistance to the Venezuelan leadership. According to Trump, Cuba supplied “security services for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE!”

Providing an update on recent US military action, Trump made a controversial claim regarding Cuban personnel in Venezuela. “Most of those Cubans are DEAD from last week’s USA attack, and Venezuela doesn’t need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years,” he wrote.

The warning comes amid a broader push by the Trump administration to apply pressure across the region. Over the past few weeks, Washington has tightened sanctions and seized oil shipments linked to Venezuela. These actions followed the US military’s capture of Venezuela’s deposed leader, Nicolas Maduro.

Trump also suggested that Venezuela now has the backing of the United States military. He said the US would “protect” Venezuela going forward, a move that could deal a major blow to Cuba’s already struggling economy. He repeated that “there will be no more oil and money going to Cuba,” signalling an end to the long-standing energy relationship between Havana and Caracas.

Venezuela has been Cuba’s biggest oil supplier for years. However, following the US military operation that led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro, Trump said he was able to pressure interim President Delcy Rodriguez to redirect Venezuelan oil supplies to the United States instead of Cuba.

For Cuba, this halt in Venezuelan oil supplies is expected to be devastating. According to shipping data and documents from Venezuela’s state-owned oil company PDVSA, Venezuela had been supplying around 27,000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba. This amount covered nearly 50 per cent of Cuba’s oil deficit, making it a critical source of energy for the island nation.

US intelligence agencies have reportedly assessed that Cuba’s economy is under serious stress and that its political system is also facing pressure. However, intelligence reports do not clearly support Trump’s assertion that Cuba is “ready to fall.” Reuters, citing three people familiar with the matter, reported that while conditions are difficult, the situation may not be as close to collapse as Trump has suggested.

The developments follow a major US military operation earlier this month. On January 3, the US military launched an operation to capture Venezuela’s deposed leader, Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The action came after American forces carried out several strikes against Venezuelan-linked boats in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean. The Trump administration claimed these vessels were carrying drugs.

Apart from levelling “narcoterrorism” charges against Maduro, Washington said one of the main objectives of launching Operation “Absolute Resolve” was to remove a leader who, according to US claims, had stolen the 2024 Venezuelan elections.

Trump’s latest statements underline his administration’s hard-line approach toward Cuba and Venezuela. By cutting off oil and financial flows to Havana and signalling strong US backing for Venezuela under new leadership, the White House appears determined to alter long-standing alliances in the region. Trump’s message to Cuba remains clear and direct: make a deal with the United States now, or face severe economic consequences.