Trump vows to address Cuba after the Iran war, saying returning U.S. forces will stop near the island and Rubio will “finish the deal”

At a campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, President Donald Trump said he would address concerns regarding Cuba once the U.S. war with Iran is concluded. He said American naval forces returning from Iran would stop near Cuba and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be sent in to “finish the deal.”

During the 90-minute speech on Friday, Trump also repeated that further military attacks against Iran may occur as he tries to address rising oil prices ahead of the midterm elections.

The rally was primarily intended to boost the electoral prospects of Florida Republican Representative Byron Donalds in his gubernatorial race against Democrat David Jolly.

Trump also addressed senior voters with a plan to spend $250 million to hire at least 5,000 new nurses for elder care facilities across the country. He touched on other topics, including crowd sizes, White House renovations and his decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

During Trump’s second term, his administration has escalated pressure on Havana. In September, he called Cuba a “failed state” at the UN General Assembly and said his goal was to fundamentally change its government. A strict U.S. oil blockade has put the island under severe strain amid fuel shortages and infrastructure-driven blackouts. UN human rights experts have condemned the blockade as a violation of international law.