U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that Washington’s hard-line foreign policy may soon pivot from Iran to Cuba, suggesting that the Caribbean nation could become the next major target of American pressure once tensions with Tehran are addressed.

Speaking at a White House reception attended by Cuban American leaders and senior officials, Trump framed Iran as the immediate priority but made clear that Cuba remains firmly on his agenda. He told guests that the administration wanted to “fix, finish” the Iran issue first, then added that it was only “a question of time” before many in the room would be “going back to Cuba,” a remark widely interpreted as a nod to hopes for political change on the island.

Among those present was U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, a prominent Cuban American lawmaker and one of the architects of the administration’s Cuba policy. Trump praised Rubio as having done “a fantastic job on a place called Cuba,” underscoring the senator’s influence over measures that have rolled back the previous U.S. thaw with Havana.

Under Trump, Washington has sharply tightened economic sanctions on Cuba. The administration has restricted U.S. travel, capped remittances, activated Title III of the Helms-Burton Act to allow lawsuits over properties nationalized after the Cuban Revolution, and moved to cut off shipments of Venezuelan oil that long helped sustain the island’s economy.

Those steps have contributed to a steep drop in fuel supplies, forcing Cuba to ration energy, reduce public transport, and cope with recurring power outages. Airlines have trimmed flights, and the broader economy has been pushed deeper into crisis, with shortages of basic goods and mounting frustration among ordinary Cubans.

Analysts say Trump’s latest comments fit a broader strategy of reasserting U.S. leverage in the Western Hemisphere by pressuring governments aligned with Venezuela and Iran. Cuba, which has close ties to both, is seen in Washington as a key node in that network.

For Cuban exiles and hard-liners in the United States, the prospect of a renewed focus on Havana is welcome, raising hopes of democratic change after decades of one-party rule. For many on the island, however, the suggestion that Cuba could be “next” after Iran signals the likelihood of even harsher sanctions and deeper economic pain.