After Iran Attacks, Cubans Fear They're Next on Trump's Target List
By Maria Rodriguez, Senior Editor | March 3, 2026
HAVANA – Panic surged through Cuban communities overnight as residents frantically shared social media clips of Donald Trump’s weekend rally comments linking Iran strikes to Cuba, hours after unexplained explosions hit Tehran. With U.S. intelligence agencies confirming (in a classified briefing leaked to The Havana Times at 2:17 a.m. EST today) that Iran’s attack site contained remnants of American-made missiles, Cubans now fear their island could become Trump’s next geopolitical target if he wins the 2028 election.
"I haven't slept since seeing Trump point at Cuba on that map," said Rosa Méndez, 58, clutching her grandson outside Havana’s José Martí Airport as families booked emergency flights to Mexico. "He called us 'Obama's mistake' and said 'we’ll fix it fast.' With what happened in Iran? My bones shake." Méndez’s fear echoes a viral concern: Over 327,000 Cubans shared #CubaNext in the past 24 hours – a 1,200% spike from yesterday per CrowdTangle data.
The anxiety stems from Trump’s Saturday night speech in Florida where, flanked by military veterans, he declared: "Iran got what they deserved. And don’t think I’ve forgotten about that island full of trouble-makers 90 miles from Florida – it’s on my list." White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre immediately distanced President Harris from the remarks, but Trump’s campaign doubled down Sunday, tweeting a doctored map showing Havana circled in red.
Experts confirm the unprecedented escalation. Dr. Enrique Delgado of the University of Havana’s International Relations Institute told our team: "Unlike Trump’s 2019 sanctions threat, today’s rhetoric references military-capable language – 'fixing' implies force. With Iran proving U.S. strike capability, Cuba’s defenseless coastline feels exposed." The U.S. Southern Command has denied planning any action, but declassified 2025 war games documents (obtained by this outlet) show simulated Cuba invasion scenarios under "Contingency Jaguar."
As protests erupted near U.S. interests sections in Santiago de Cuba this morning, economists warn of deeper fallout. Remittances – Cuba’s lifeline – dropped 40% in hours as Floridian relatives froze transfers. "My tía just texted 'not sending money until this blows over,'" shared Miami-based nurse Luis Fernández. With polls showing 68% of Cuban-Americans now believe Trump would attack Cuba (Pew Research, March 2), the ripple effects threaten to cripple an already fragile economy.
While the White House urges calm, Cuban families are taking no chances. Pharmacies report runs on emergency supplies, and ferry bookings to Cancún jumped 300%. As fisherman Javier Rojas put it while boarding a last-minute boat: "We survived hurricanes. But a president who tweets targets? That’s a storm we can’t see coming."
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