Trump curtails Obama-era Cuba policy

President Donald Trump announced a new policy toward Cuba on Friday, tightening travel and commercial dealings that benefit the communist regime. Trump, joined by Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Florida Gov. Rick Scott, announced the changes in a speech in Miami’s Little Havana, where many Cuban Americans have long pushed back against normalizing relations between the United States and Cuba. “We will not be silenced in the face of communist oppression any longer,” Trump said. “I am canceling the last administration’s completely one-sided deal with Cuba.” Former President Barack Obama softened the U.S. stance toward Cuba in his final term. He reestablished diplomatic relations and reopened the U.S. Embassy in Havanna. Last year, he became the first sitting president to visit Cuba in more than 50 years. Trump’s new Cuban policy will take effect over multiple years and leaves some of Obama’s changes in place. Diplomatic relations between the countries will remain open, as will the new embassy. But the Trump administration will begin restricting travel between the counties and will ban U.S. commerce with Cuban businesses owned by the military and intelligence services. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also will lead a task force to work with the United Nations to promote human rights on the island.

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