Trump Signs Memorandum to Toughen Policy on Cuba
These measures, which will begin to take effect within the next 30 days, support the economic embargo against Cuba.
HAVANA TIMES – On Monday, June 30, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum to tighten US policy toward Cuba and restrict certain financial and travel transactions.
The document “ends economic practices that disproportionately benefit the Cuban government, military, intelligence, or security agencies at the expense of the Cuban people,” the White House said in a statement.
In this regard, the US government is prohibiting “direct or indirect financial transactions with entities controlled by the Cuban military, such as the Business Administration Group SA (GAESA) and its affiliates,” the statement specified.
It also states that the legal ban on US tourism to Cuba will be enforced through periodic audits and record keeping of all travel-related transactions for at least five years.
These measures, which will begin to take effect within the next 30 days, support the economic embargo against Cuba and reject calls to end the embargo made annually at the United Nations and in other international forums.
The memorandum also calls for a review of human rights abuses in Cuba, “including unlawful detentions and inhumane treatment,” and requires a report on US fugitives residing in or sheltered by the Cuban government.
These new measures reverse the rollbacks made by former President Joe Biden’s administration, which, according to the White House, “eased pressure on the Cuban regime” by lifting some of the restrictions imposed by Trump during his first term (2017–2021).
Cuba Accuses US of “Criminal Conduct”
The Cuban government accused the United States of “criminal conduct and human rights violations” after learning that President Trump had signed a directive to increase economic pressure and restrictions on the island.
“The Presidential Memorandum against Cuba announced today by the US government reinforces aggression and the economic blockade that punishes the entire Cuban people and is the main obstacle to our development,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez stated on social media.
He also emphasized in his message that “this is criminal conduct and a violation of the human rights of an entire nation.”
First published in Spanish by Confidencial and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.
What can we do. Wait till next election? Is that all?
Cuban Americans should do something? What can they and all those who care about Cuban people do?
Can we find some way to unite and do something….?
No country in the world has been bullied by the US more than Cuba. U.S Cuba policy is American imperialism on steroids ! Marco Rubio is no Secretary of State, he’s Trump’s Secretary of State. I can’t think of any creature in the world more disgusting and evil as Rubio. He’s caused hundreds of thousand deaths in Africa and other countries by cutting US Aid. Fidel Castro was a saint compared to Rubio!
The American governments like to punish areas like Gaza and Cuba where the people are suffering the most and are of no threat. USA wants to take over Cuba just like they want Israel to take over Gaza. They decimated Iraq and Syria and got control of those countries for their own gain. Does any one person see it differently?
I have said it before and often, what is the difference in Cuba to other autocratic regimes like Russia, China, Vietnam, Angola, North Korea, etc ? Americans were for the most part free to travel to these other countries who abuse power in hellish ways, yet US has always treated Cuba like a distinctly evil country unlike any other. Ironically it is small , less than 10million people, no nuclear arms and devoid of any military buildup. So yes, Diaz Canal is a cold hearted unlikable ruthless leader , one could say he is worse than Fidel ever was but to call out and clamp down hard on only Cuba? Trump will not for some unfathomable reason put sanctions on Russia , a country that has far more blood on its hands.
The USA, what a criminally wretched country with its president, the clown-in-chief Trump and his muppet show as government!
trump doesn’t care about US citizens human rights, so not to be surprised about his actions on Cuba.
As for tourism, we will be back. Have visited your amazing country.
This memorandum is a toothless tiger. The US government is reluctant to truly enforce the embargo against Cuba. There are well known Miami businesses that are doing business with Cuba but they are also strong Trump administration supporters. As a result, Trump threw his Secretary of State Marco Rubio a political bone. But the effect of this memo is nil.