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ARTICLE · 22 JUNE 2026

Beyond The Embargo: Escalating Pressure Against Cuba During Trump’s Second Term

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President Trump's second administration has dramatically escalated economic pressure on Cuba through unprecedented secondary tariffs and sanctions...

United StatesInternational Law
Brian J. Fleming
Brian J. Fleming
Evan T. Abrams
Evan T. Abrams
Quentin Johnson
Quentin Johnson
Nicole Arellano-Brillembourg
Nicole Arellano-Brillembourg

Since retaking office, President Trump has maximized economic and diplomatic pressure against Cuba by targeting key economic sectors through novel secondary tariffs and sanctions mechanisms. While the Trump Administration’s actions have materially impacted Cuba’s economy, they have yet to produce a negotiated outcome or the political changes sought by President Trump from the Cuban regime. This post describes the actions undertaken by the Trump Administration against Cuba during his second term in office and provides insights on the possible future trajectory of US restrictions against Cuba.

2025: Trump Reverses Biden-Era Policy Toward Cuba and Issues NSPM-5

On the first day of his second term, President Trump returned to a “maximum pressure” campaign against Cuba by revoking President Biden’s State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST) rescission and effectively restoring Cuba to the US list of SSTs. President Trump also reinstated the Cuba Restricted List (CRL) and restricted transactions

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