There's no question that the Cuban people would be better off without that ridiculous regime that has failed miserably. I would put about 40% of the blame of Cuba's failure on the US embargo, and the rest squarely stands on the shoulders of both members of the Cockroach family, Fidel and Raúl.

Having said that the US has a pretty dismal history when it comes to building democracies and regime change, and has failed at it nearly every time in the past 81 years.

And both Trump and his minions have such small brains, and are so incapable of doing anything correctly, that the chances of failure would be quite high if they were to get involved.

21 hours ago, Stargeezr said:

How many presidents of the USA have talked about another country becoming a 51 or 52nd state?

There is also the little matter of existing territories governed by the USA which are denied Statehood, and effectively full democratic rights within the USA.

Puerto Rico, Washington DC, even the various Pacific island territories rather spring to mind...

I'm sure that reluctance to incorporate them as the 51st, 52nd and 53rd states for example has nothing to do with their probable voting patterns, (another 6 senators and dozen or so Representatives) nor, of course not, the ethnicity of the people who live there! Besides, who would be left to throw toilet rolls at, when it is time for a demonstration of Presidential charitable magnaminity!

On 2/28/2026 at 9:06 AM, ASEAN NOW News said:

Trump did not explain what he meant by a “friendly takeover.”

Whatever it means will relate to creating personal wealth for Trump and his family.

In effect not much different from the current Cuban regime.

On 2/28/2026 at 11:51 AM, Jim Waldron said:

A “friendly takeover” of Cuba? Highly improbable, and historically tone-deaf.

Let’s be factual. After the 1898 Spanish-American War, the U.S. occupied Cuba and imposed the Platt Amendment, giving it the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and securing the naval base at Guantánamo Bay, which it still holds.

Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, and relations collapsed. The CIA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961 attempted regime change. That was followed by decades of covert destabilisation, including Operation Mongoose, and an economic embargo imposed in the early 1960s that remains largely in place today.

Cuba’s economic difficulties cannot be discussed honestly without acknowledging over 60 years of sanctions and pressure from the U.S.

Whether one supports Havana’s system or not, the idea that it would welcome a U.S. “takeover” ignores more than a century of interventionist history.

There's a cynical saying in Australia that seems appropriate here - "Tell him he's dreaming"!

Agreed. But, but ... "it is a failing system"! well, yea, that was the stated purpose of the USA sanctions, etc.

...'Friendly Takeover'...(?)

...(More Socipath Terminology)(?)...

...How 'Good' Can You Get...(?)

Will Cuba become the 51st state if they agree to this friendly take over?

Will the people of Cuba be any better off? Many questions, and do the people of the USA all want this to happen?

I wonder how the Democrats feel about this friendly offer?

So many questions.

On 2/28/2026 at 12:21 PM, cjinchiangrai said:

Vlad might be open to a deal, Cuba for Poland maybe? What is Trumps cut? Maybe money through Qatar for rum and cigars?

Trump will soon post a video, similar to that of Gaza, with hotels, resorts and statues of him in gold everywhere.