Rubio urges Cubans to work with CIA to bring political change to communist-run island

Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Cubans seeking political change to discreetly cooperate with the CIA on Friday, as President Donald Trump separately floated sending Rubio to the communist-run island to negotiate a deal."To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time," Rubio wrote in a post on X."The disappointment of failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of only a few; seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA."RUBIO WARNS CUBA HAS INFILTRATED US WITH SPIES, CALLS COMMUNIST REGIME AN 'ESPIONAGE SUPERPOWER'Rubio's message explicitly encouraged Cubans to work with the U.S.intelligence agency but did not identify a specific operation or explain what such cooperation would involve.Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, has long advocated for a tougher U.S.

approach toward the Cuban government. The former Florida senator has been a prominent critic of the communist leadership in Havana and opposed efforts to normalize relations without political reforms.Trump, meanwhile, raised the possibility of U.S.ships stopping near Cuba while discussing Iran during a midterm rally in Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday.TRUMP EXPANDS CUBA SANCTIONS BEYOND US COMPANIES IN MAJOR CRACKDOWN ON FOREIGN ENABLERSSecretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters alongside White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, left, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, center, after U.S.

military actions in Venezuela at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Fla., Jan.3, 2026.

(Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)"Don't worry.We'll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran with it.

We'll do a little stopover now.We'll do a little stopover," Trump told the crowd."Actually, what we're going to do with Cuba is we're going to come back from Iran.

Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba.We'll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast.

They'll raise up their hands."Trump then suggested Rubio could handl...