Trump Drops Hammer: Cuba “Going Down” After Maduro Capture

Patriot Brief

• What Happened: President Donald Trump said Cuba is “ready to fall” following the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro during Operation Absolute Resolve.

• Why It Matters: U.S. officials say Cuba played a key role in propping up Maduro, and his removal cuts off a major source of security and financial support for Havana.

• Bottom Line: The Maduro arrest signals a broader U.S. push to reassert dominance in the Western Hemisphere under the Monroe Doctrine.

This is what real American leverage looks like when it is finally put back on the table. After U.S. forces captured Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump did not hedge his words or soften the message. He went straight to the point. Without Maduro’s money, oil, and muscle, Cuba is exposed and wobbling. For decades, hostile regimes in the Western Hemisphere leaned on each other to survive. Trump is making it clear those days are over, and America is no longer playing defense in its own backyard.

"Cuba is ready to fall."

While Maduro has understandably consumed our recent attention, it is important to see Venezuela as just a node in a broader network of threats.

Today, "Aurelian" lays out a detailed case for the US territorialization of Cuba.pic.twitter.com/4Hgch3g89S

— Defense Analyses and Research Corporation (@DefenseAnalyses) January 5, 2026

Fox News reports:

The president’s comments during a press gaggle with reporters aboard Air Force One come after Saturday’s capture of Maduro and his wife on charges tied to a narco-terrorism conspiracy. The audacious operation has sent shock waves through allied governments in the region, with Cuban officials calling for rallies in support of Venezuela and accusing the U.S. of violating sovereignty.

U.S. officials say Cuban security forces played a central role in keeping Maduro in power. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuban operatives effectively ran Venezuela’s internal intelligence and security operations – including personally guarding Maduro and monitoring loyalty inside his government.

“It was Cubans that guarded Maduro,” Rubio said. “He was not guarded by Venezuelan bodyguards. He had Cuban bodyguards.”

Cuba’s government acknowledged Sunday that 32 Cuban military and police officers were killed during the American operation in Venezuela, marking the first official death toll released by Havana. Cuban state media said the officers had been deployed at the request of Caracas and announced two days of national mourning.

For the first time in a long time, the Western Hemisphere is being reminded that American resolve still matters. Trump’s message is simple and unmistakable. When hostile regimes prop each other up against the United States, they fall together when that support collapses.