Trump says he has "no problem" with Russian tanker bringing oil to Cuba despite blockade - CBS News

CBS News
March 30, 2026
3 min read

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Trump said he has no problem with a Russian oil tanker delivering crude to Cuba despite the decades-old U.S. blockade.

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President Trump said he has "no problem" with a Russian oil tanker delivering crude to Cuba despite the decades-long U.S. blockade of the island nation. The statement marks a significant shift from longstanding U.S. policy, which has enforced strict restrictions on trade and energy supplies to Cuba since 1962. Trump's apparent acceptance of Russian-Cuban energy commerce could signal a more permissive stance toward U.S. adversaries' economic cooperation, particularly involving Moscow. The comment comes as Russia has increasingly turned to alternative markets for oil exports following Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine. The president's position suggests potential changes to enforcement of embargo rules that previous administrations have maintained as a core Cold War-era policy.

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