President of the United States Donald Trump stated on Thursday that Cuba is «desperate» to reach a deal with his administration immediately. «They have no idea; Cuba wants to reach a deal desperately,» the head of state said during his speech at an event at the White House to celebrate the 2025 league title of the soccer team Inter Miami, owned by Argentine Lionel Messi. The Republican added that «it's only a matter of time» before his administration focuses on Cuba, implying that the military campaign he launched against Iran over the past weekend has somewhat diverted the White House's focus. Prior to this statement, the head of state had told the digital outlet Politico that the fall of the Cuban regime would be «the cherry on the cake» and explained that the United States has been pursuing this goal for over 50 years, but that for him it was a minor objective. The last few weeks have been marked by exclusive reports in US media such as Axios or Miami Herald about contacts between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a grandson of former Cuban president Raúl Castro, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro. These reports speak of contacts rather than negotiations, and point to alleged conversations about possible and future gradual economic reforms on the island and a phased withdrawal of Washington's sanctions.
