Trump asks top officials to review, toughen U.S. sanctions on Cuba
In a memo Monday, Trump said the reviews should focus on Cuba's treatment of dissidents, its policies directed at dissidents and restricting financial transactions that 'disproportionately benefit the Cuban government, military, intelligence, or security agencies at the expense of the Cuban people.'
In one potential significant change, the order said the U.S. should look for ways to shut down all tourism to the island and to restrict educational tours to groups that are organized and run only by American citizens.
The move is not a surprise given that Trump has previously said he plans to rescind the easing of sanctions and other penalties in Cuba that were instituted during the terms of Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. In the days before leaving office, Biden had moved to lift the U.S. designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Cuba warns against 'public disorder' as scattered protests erupt
Trump's memo 'supports the economic embargo of Cuba and opposes calls in the United Nations and other international forums for its termination,' according to a fact sheet.
The Trump administration also has made Cuba one of seven countries facing heightened restrictions on visitors and revoked temporary legal protections for about 300,000 Cubans, which had protected them from deportation.
The administration also has announced visa restrictions on Cuban and foreign government officials involved in Cuba's medical missions, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called 'forced labor.'
In an interview with The Associated Press this month, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio accused the United States of trying to discredit the medical missions and criticized reversal of policy welcoming Cubans to the U.S.
Rubio, whose family left Cuba in the 1950s before the communist revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power, has long been a proponent of sanctions on the communist island.
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Globe and Mail
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'At a time when energy demand is surging and families are already struggling to make ends meet, this bill would raise costs, make the grid less reliable, and make the U.S. more dependent on foreign oil,' said Lori Lodes, executive director of climate action advocacy group Climate Power. 'It threatens our power supply just as extreme weather and record demand are putting historic strain on the grid, forcing brownouts and blackouts across the country.' The loss of tax credits might not immediately impact project plans. But increased uncertainty makes it more difficult to invest in innovative new technologies and maintain national security. ___ Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ___ Read more of AP's climate coverage at ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
