In recent developments regarding U.S.-Cuba relations, tensions are escalating as American officials make increasingly serious allegations against the island nation.
Former CIA director just said that a mass migration crisis — caused by Rubio’s own regime change effort — is the only threat Cuba could pose to US
So Rubio sprints to Axios to fabricate the “presence of Iranian military advisers in Havana”pic.twitter.com/HMKiHF1p5E https://t.co/6pSujBKWud
— Erik Sperling (@ErikSperling) May 17, 2026
By Julia Conley, a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams. Originally published at Common Dreams.
Cuban officials have responded strongly, stating that the Trump administration is fabricating “increasingly implausible accusations” against Cuba to justify a possible military attack. This assertion follows claims from an unnamed official that the Cuban government has been “discussing plans” to utilize drones against the U.S.
“Cuba is the country under attack,” declared the Cuban embassy, which noted the detrimental effects of a prolonged oil blockade implemented by the U.S. This situation has plunged the island’s electric grid into a “critical state”, leading to frequent blackouts and a healthcare crisis with thousands awaiting surgeries.
In the Axios article, the administration official insisted that despite the U.S. military’s substantial budget, Cuba could still present some level of threat as it develops its defensive capabilities.
The report claims that classified intelligence reveals Cuba has obtained over 300 drones and is contemplating strikes against various U.S. military installations, including Guantanamo Bay and Key West, Florida. The island has reportedly sourced drones from both Russia and Iran since 2023 and has sought further assistance from Russia recently, as shown by intelligence intercepts suggesting Cuba aims to understand resistance tactics used by Iran against the U.S.
The Cuban embassy asserted that, “like any country, Cuba has the right to defend itself against external aggression.”
@CarlosFdeCossio
Like any country, Cuba has the right to defend itself against external aggression. It is called self-defense, and it is protected by International Law and the UN Charter.
Those from the US who seek the submission and, in fact, the destruction of the Cuban…
— Cuban Embassy in US (@EmbaCubaUS) May 17, 2026
“Those from the U.S. who desire the subjugation and destruction of the Cuban nation through military means engage in the fabrication of pretexts and distort the normal preparations necessary to counter potential aggression,” the embassy continued.
Journalist José Luis Granados Ceja, who reports on Latin America for Drop Site News, emphasized Cuba’s right to self-defense, stating that incorporating effective tools into its defense strategy is wise.
According to Axios, the classified intelligence might serve as justification for military action that President Donald Trump has previously considered. Notably, by the end of the article, it was acknowledged that U.S. officials do not perceive Cuba as an immediate threat or as being in active preparation for an attack against American interests.
In reality, the intelligence suggested that Cuban officials were only discussing drone warfare as a contingency plan if hostilities broke out amid deteriorating relations with the U.S.
@Axios fabricates a “drone threat”, only to confess paragraphs later: “US officials don’t believe Cuba is actively planning to attack.” This contradictory disinformation is a transparent, ludicrous pretext to justify US hostility. We categorically reject these baseless smears. https://t.co/YPgwket1p6
— Cuba in the UK (@EmbaCuba_UK) May 17, 2026
This narrative mirrors Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s justification for military action against Iran earlier this year. He controversially stated that the U.S. made the decision to act against Iran out of concern that the country would retaliate following attacks from Israel.
David Adler, co-general coordinator of Progressive International, characterizes the claim that Cuba poses a threat due to its military preparations as “a purposeful deception.” He asserts, “Marco Rubio and his allies at Axios are concocting reasons for a U.S. invasion of Cuba. Falling for this flimsy propaganda endangers millions of Cuban lives.”
Cuban drone attack with Iranian help? Now we know why Rubio has been hammering the message that Cuba is a threat and host to U.S. adversaries.
It reads like something out of a bad spy novel, but this regime-change propaganda represents a very real danger. https://t.co/bq1TAbLNt1
— José Luis Granados Ceja (@GranadosCeja) May 17, 2026
Marco Rubio, the child of Cuban immigrants, has long advocated for regime change in Cuba. Axios’ report surfaced just days after CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Cuba, possibly pressing officials to comply with U.S. demands for political and economic reforms, which raises concerns of potential military action should these demands go unmet.
Additionally, White House officials recently indicated to CBS News that the Department of Justice is preparing to file criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro for downing planes linked to a U.S. group in the 1990s. Earlier this year, U.S. forces staged an invasion of Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro under drug trafficking charges, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Tommy Vietor, a former staffer in the Obama administration and co-host of Pod Save America, noted that the current situation suggests a potential U.S. regime change operation against Cuba is imminent. He described the Axios article as, “a blatant effort to create a media pretext for war.”
