Florida Rep. Díaz-Balart Says Cuban Regime 'Will Not Survive' Trump, Calls Its Removal 'Essential'

Florida Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart said he believes Cuba's government "will not survive" the current political climate in Washington, arguing that its removal is "essential for the national security of the United States" as pressure from the Trump administration intensifies.

Speaking in an interview with Telemundo's Encuentro virtual con Gloria Ordaz, the Florida Republican expressed confidence that the administration's approach toward Havana will lead to a decisive outcome. "I am convinced that the Cuban regime will not survive the administration of Donald Trump," he said, while endorsing continued pressure on the island.

Asked about the possibility of U.S. military action, Díaz-Balart said that while avoiding civilian casualties remains a priority, "the elimination of that dictatorship is essential for the national security of the United States." He also criticized recent visits by Democratic lawmakers to Cuba, suggesting the party has shifted away from positions it once held on the issue.

Diaz-Balart's remarks come as the administration escalates its rhetoric and policies toward Cuba. The president has suggested in recent weeks that the United States could take action against the island, saying he would have "the honor of taking Cuba" and adding that "Cuba's going to be next" following U.S. interventions in Venezuela and Iran.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel rejected the possibility of regime change and warned earlier this week that the country would resist any external aggression. "If military aggression occurs, we will fight back, we will battle, we will defend ourselves," he told Newsweek, outlining a strategy based on what he called a "war of all the people."

Analysts say that while military intervention remains unlikely, economic pressure is already having an impact. U.S. sanctions and restrictions on oil shipments have contributed to fuel shortages and a worsening economic crisis on the island, which Cuban officials link to what they describe as a longstanding blockade.

Díaz-Balart has consistently argued that sustained pressure remains the only viable path forward. "What needs to happen is to increase the pressure, and what I mean by that is pressure in every way: economic, diplomatic, in every way possible," he said earlier this year. "Zero tolerance and total pressure."