Published Saturday, 7 November, 1:20 p.m. ET · Source: video of Donald Trump’s speech posted by CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), US State Department
President Donald Trump joked again that he would parachute Secretary of State Marco Rubio into Cuba to solve the island’s crisis. He made the remark at a conservative gala at his private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, days after midterm elections that Democrats won.
Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, is a leading voice on US policy toward Cuba. The joke has no policy attached, and no move on Cuba has been announced.
What Trump Said
At the CPAC Circle Retreat and Gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, Donald Trump said he would parachute Rubio over Cuba and that Rubio would solve the problem. CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, a major US conservative group, posted video of the speech on 7 November.
Trump also called Rubio the best secretary of state and reminded the audience that Rubio’s parents were born in Cuba. The retreat ran from 4 to 7 November at Trump’s private club in Palm Beach, Florida.
File photo: the Capitolio and the Gran Teatro in Havana.A Joke That Keeps Returning
On 23 October in Fort Myers, Florida, Trump imagined US warships stopping about 50 yards off the Cuban coast and sending Rubio to close the deal. On 27 October in Corpus Christi, Texas, he added the parachute.
In each case it was a remark in a speech, not an announced plan. We have seen no announcement of a military move or of talks.
Why Rubio Is in the News
Democrats won control of Congress in the midterm elections on Tuesday 3 November, according to projections. The result has fed speculation about the future of senior officials, including Rubio.
Rubio told a newspaper on Thursday 5 November that serving until the end of Trump’s term has always been his plan. The State Department called reports that he might leave baseless.
What Prediction Markets Say
Traders on Polymarket, a prediction platform, give 3.5% to the Cuban government falling during 2026, with US$1.86 million traded (7 November, 12:45 p.m. ET). The price implies little expectation of sudden change in the remaining eight weeks of the year.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for You
For Cuban-Americans in Florida, travellers, and companies that deal with Cuba, the jokes are a signal of tone and not a change in rules. Existing US sanctions and travel limits stay in force until the government publishes new ones.
Watch for formal steps: new sanctions lists, shipping rules or talks. Our reports cover the latest measures and how Washington frames its Cuba policy.
What Is Not Known
We have not seen a full transcript of the speech, so our summary of his wording may differ in detail. The exact day of the remarks is not confirmed beyond the gala’s dates, 4 to 7 November.
More: Cuba news in English; US Sanctions Cuban Oil Shippers, Two Ships; Rubio Pushes Cubans Toward the CIA.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Trump say about Rubio and Cuba?
At a CPAC gala he said he would parachute Rubio over Cuba and that Rubio would solve the problem. He called Rubio the best secretary of state.
Is the US planning military action in Cuba?
No such plan has been announced. Trump has repeated the parachute and warship jokes since 23 October without announcing steps.
Is Marco Rubio leaving the administration?
Rubio said on 5 November that serving until the end of Trump’s term has always been his plan. The State Department called the reports baseless.
Sources: US State Department; CPAC; Polymarket, Cuban regime falls in 2026?; video of the speech posted on 7 November 2026; statements of 5 November 2026; market price read on 7 November 2026.