April 30, 2026
The Trump Administration has been in talks with the Cuban government in order to lift the close to total blockade from the U.S. on oil in exchange for continuous economic and governance reforms and detainee release.
Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic effort to limit President Donald Trump’s ability to take military action in Cuba, according to USA Today.
The measure, led by Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, failed in an April 28 vote after 50 Republicans and one Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted to prevent it from advancing. Kaine, who has introduced similar measures related to Iran, said Congress has a duty to check presidential war powers.
Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky broke with their party to support the measure. Kaine said he made similar attempts in an effort to stop military hostilities from taking place in Iran.
“When there are efforts by an executive to go too far, then it is up to Congress to stand up and provide a check,” the senator said.
The Trump administration has been negotiating with Cuba over easing oil restrictions in exchange for political and economic reforms, including the release of detainees. Cuban officials have rejected those demands.
Democratic leaders like Sen. Peter Welch (Vermont) said he feels the strategy for Cuba “is to crush them into dust.”
“It’s a policy that’s going to result in suffering for even more people,” he said as Trump promised a “new dawn for Cuba.”
“There was a very solid basis for Sen. Kaine’s war powers resolution.”
While Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged Republicans, who are the majority, to “do Trump a favor” by voting against him before the vote, according to Politico, GOP Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, home to the largest Cuban population in the country, blamed Democrats for allegedly ignoring human rights violations of Cuba’s government in favor of scoring political points against Trump.
“This president has never said he wants to put boots on the ground,” Scott said.
“This is a complete waste of time, and it is a complete insult to Cubans in Cuba and Cubans in my state.”
As Democratic lawmakers are also attempting to bring a bill to the floor that will pause Trump’s ability to attack Cuba with federal funds, Republican leaders aren’t even clear on the Trump administration’s priorities regarding Cuba, as the Iran conflict has taken precedence.
Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) said he trusts Secretary of State and Cuban American Marco Rubio to handle issues in the Western Hemisphere.
“They could not have a better point person,” Hoeven said of Rubio.
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