Cuba has issued a strong response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent warning that the country must immediately come under a deal or face unspecified consequences. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said no one has the right to speak on behalf of Cuba. In a post on social media platform X, he asserted that Cuba is an independent and sovereign nation and that no one can dictate its actions. He added that the Caribbean island is ready to defend its homeland to the last drop of blood.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez stated that Cuba has the right to import fuel from any country willing to export to it, noting that most of its energy imports come from Venezuela and Mexico. Rodríguez accused the United States of engaging in “criminal” acts that threaten global peace. The report also mentioned that Trump has recently issued threats to Colombia, Mexico, Iran, and Greenland.

The exchange underscores renewed tensions between Washington and Havana, with Cuba emphasizing its sovereignty and trade independence in the face of U.S. pressure.

Hurricane Melissa, described by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as the most powerful and slow-moving storm of the century, has left a trail of destruction across Jamaica and is now heading toward Cuba. The Category 5-equivalent hurricane made landfall near New Hope in southwestern Jamaica with wind speeds reaching 185 miles (295 km) per hour. Prime Minister Andrew Holness confirmed severe damage to hospitals, homes, and infrastructure, especially in the St. Elizabeth region, where widespread flooding has submerged entire communities. Over 500,000 people remain without electricity. The WMO reported that rainfall could reach up to 700 millimeters in some areas, raising the risk of catastrophic floods and landslides. So far, at least seven deaths have been confirmed across the Caribbean—three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warns that Melissa maintains Category 4 intensity as it approaches southern Cuba, bringing threats of life-threatening winds, storm surges, and heavy rainfall. Cuban authorities have begun mass evacuations and placed disaster response teams on maximum alert.

On Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba. During his visit, Hegseth emphasized that protecting American sovereign territory remains a top priority for the Pentagon. He stated, “The department has taken swift action to implement President Trump’s executive order on border security.”

As part of his trip, Hegseth met with officials directly involved in arresting and deporting dangerous illegal immigrants. His visit follows Trump’s recent directive to construct a detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, designed to house at least 30,000 of the “most dangerous” illegal immigrant criminals deemed a threat to the U.S.