Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strengthens the
Policy of the United States Toward Cuba
The White House
June 30, 2025
STRENGTHENING
THE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES TOWARD CUBA: Today,
President Donald J. Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum
(NSPM) to strengthen the policy of the United States toward Cuba.
- This NSPM restores and strengthens the robust Cuba
policy from the President’s first term, reversing the Biden
Administration’s revocation that eased pressure on the Cuban regime.
- The NSPM ends economic practices that
disproportionately benefit the Cuban government, military, intelligence,
or security agencies at the expense of the Cuban people.
- Direct or indirect financial
transactions with entities controlled by the Cuban military, such as
Grupo de Administracion Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), and its affiliates are
prohibited, with exceptions for transactions that advance U.S. policy
goals or support the
Cuban people.
- It enforces the statutory ban on U.S. tourism to
Cuba and ensures compliance
through regular audits and mandatory record-keeping of all travel-related
transactions for at least five years.
- The NSPM supports the economic embargo of Cuba and
opposes calls in the United Nations and other international forums for its
termination.
- The
NSPM amplifies efforts to support the Cuban people through the expansion
of internet services, free press, free enterprise, free association, and
lawful travel.
- It ensures the “Wet Foot, Dry Foot” policy remains
terminated to discourage dangerous, unlawful migration.
- The NSPM ensures that engagement between the
United States and Cuba advances the interests of the United States and the
Cuban people, including through promoting human rights, fostering a private sector
independent of government control, and enhancing national security.
- The NSPM mandates a review of human rights abuses
in Cuba, including unlawful detentions and inhumane treatment, and
requires a report on fugitives from American justice living in Cuba or
being harbored by the Cuban government.
PROMOTING
A STABLE, PROSPEROUS, AND FREE CUBA: President
Trump is committed to fostering a free and democratic Cuba, addressing the
Cuban people’s long-standing suffering under a Communist regime.
- The Cuban people have long suffered under a
Communist regime that suppresses their legitimate aspirations for freedom
and prosperity, arbitrarily detains dissidents, and holds political
prisoners in inhumane conditions.
- Violence and intimidation against dissidents occur
with impunity, while families of political prisoners face retaliation for
their advocacy.
- The regime harasses worshippers, blocks free
association by civil society organizations, and denies free speech,
including through limited internet access and the absence of a free press.
- The Cuban government harbors fugitives of American
justice and fails to meet the basic requirements of a free and just
society.
HOLDING
THE CUBAN REGIME ACCOUNTABLE: President
Trump is continuing efforts from his first term to stand with the Cuban people
and hold the regime accountable.
- In his first term, President Trump implemented a
robust policy towards Cuba, reversing the Obama Administration’s one-sided
deal that eased restrictions without securing meaningful reforms for the
Cuban people.
- Now, President Trump is once again implementing a
firm policy stance.
- President Trump is fulfilling
his campaign promise: “As president, I will again stand with the people
of Cuba in their long quest for justice, liberty and freedom.”
- President Trump also recently implemented a new
travel ban that applies to Cuba.
- It lists Cuba as a state sponsor
of terrorism and cites its failure to cooperate or share sufficient law
enforcement information with the United States, its historical refusal to
accept back its removable nationals, and its high visa overstay rate.
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NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM/NSPM-5
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MEMORANDUM FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT
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THE SECRETARY OF STATE
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THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
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THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
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THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
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THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
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THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
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THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
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THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
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THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
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THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
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THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
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AGENCY
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THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
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THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OF
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STAFF
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THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND
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BUDGET
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THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAL
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SECURITY AFFAIRS
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THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND HOMELAND
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SECURITY ADVISOR
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THE COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT
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THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR ECONOMIC
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POLICY
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THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
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THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND
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TECHNOLOGY POLICY
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THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED STATES OF
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AMERICA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
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THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS
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ADMINISTRATION
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THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE
UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR
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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL
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MANAGEMENT
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SUBJECT: Reissuance of and Amendments
to National Security Presidential Memorandum 5 on Strengthening the Policy of
the United States Toward Cuba
·
Section 1. Purpose. The United
States recognizes the need for more freedom and democracy, improved respect for
human rights, and increased
free enterprise in Cuba. The Cuban people have long suffered under
a Communist regime that suppresses their legitimate aspirations for freedom and
prosperity and fails to respect their essential human dignity.
·
My Administration's policy will be guided by the
national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, as well as
solidarity with the Cuban people. I will seek to promote a stable,
prosperous, and free country for the Cuban people. To that end, we must
channel funds toward the Cuban people and away from a regime that has failed to
meet the most basic requirements of a free and just society.
·
In Cuba, dissidents and peaceful protesters are
arbitrarily detained and held in terrible prison conditions. Violence and
intimidation against dissidents occur with impunity. Families of
political prisoners are retaliated against for peacefully protesting the
improper confinement of their loved ones. Worshippers are harassed, and
free association by civil society organizations is blocked. The right to
speak freely, including through access to the internet, is denied, and there is
no free press. The United States condemns these abuses.
·
The initial actions set forth in this
memorandum, including
restricting certain financial transactions and travel, encourage the
Cuban government to address these abuses. My Administration will continue to evaluate its policies
so as to improve human rights, encourage the rule of law, foster free markets
and free enterprise, and promote democracy in Cuba.
·
·
Sec. 2. Policy. It shall be the
policy of the executive branch to:
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(a) End economic practices that
disproportionately benefit the Cuban government or its military, intelligence,
or security agencies or personnel at the expense of the Cuban people.
·
(b) Ensure adherence to the statutory ban
on tourism to Cuba.
·
(c) Support the economic embargo of Cuba
described in section 4(7) of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity
(LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (the embargo), including by opposing measures that call
for an end to the embargo at the United Nations and other international forums
and through regular reporting on whether the conditions of a transition
government exist in Cuba.
·
(d) Amplify efforts to support the
Cuban people through the expansion of internet services, free press, free
enterprise, free association, and lawful travel.
·
(e) Not reinstate the "Wet
Foot, Dry Foot" policy, which encouraged untold thousands of Cuban
nationals to risk their lives to travel unlawfully to the United States.
·
(f) Ensure that engagement between
the United States and Cuba advances the interests of the United States and the
Cuban people. These interests include: advancing Cuban human rights; encouraging the
growth of a Cuban private sector independent of government control;
enforcing final orders of removal against Cuban nationals in the United States;
protecting the national security and public health and safety of the United
States, including through proper engagement on criminal cases and working to
ensure the return of fugitives from American justice living in Cuba or being
harbored by the Cuban government; supporting United States agriculture and
protecting plant and animal health; advancing the understanding of the United
States regarding scientific and environmental challenges; and facilitating safe
civil aviation.
·
Sec. 3. Implementation. The
heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall begin to implement
the policy set forth in section 2 of this memorandum as follows:
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(a) Within 30 days of the date of
this memorandum, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Commerce,
as appropriate and in coordination with the Secretary of State and the
Secretary of Transportation, shall initiate a process to adjust current
regulations regarding transactions with Cuba.
·
(i) As part of the regulatory changes described in this
subsection, the Secretary of State shall identify any entities or subentities,
as appropriate, that are under the control of, or act for or on behalf of, or
for the benefit of, the Cuban military, intelligence, or security services or
personnel (such as Grupo de Administracion Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), its
affiliates, subsidiaries, and successors), and publish a list of those identified entities and
subentities with which direct or indirect financial transactions would
disproportionately benefit such services or personnel at the expense of the
Cuban people or private enterprise in Cuba.
·
(ii) Except as provided in subsection (a)(iii) of this section, the
regulatory changes described in this subsection shall prohibit direct or
indirect financial transactions with those entities or subentities on the list
published pursuant to subsection (a)(i) of this section.
·
(iii)
The regulatory changes described in this subsection shall not prohibit
transactions that the Secretary of the Treasury or the Secretary of Commerce,
in coordination with the Secretary of State, determines are consistent with the
policy set forth in section 2 of this memorandum and:
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(A) concern Federal Government operations, including Naval Station
Guantanamo Bay and the United States mission in Havana;
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(B) support programs to build democracy in Cuba;
·
(C) concern air and sea operations that support permissible travel,
cargo, or trade;
·
(D) support the acquisition of visas for permissible travel;
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(E) support the expansion of direct telecommunications and internet
access for the Cuban people;
·
(F) support the sale
of agricultural commodities, medicines, and medical devices sold to Cuba
consistent with the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000
(22 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.) and the Cuban Democracy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6001 et
seq.);
·
(G) relate to sending, processing, or receiving authorized remittances;
·
(H) otherwise further the national security or foreign policy interests
of the United States; or
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(I) are required by law.
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(b) Within 30 days of the date of
this memorandum, the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the
Secretary of State, shall initiate a process to adjust current regulations to
ensure adherence to the statutory ban on tourism to Cuba.
·
(i) The amended regulations shall require that educational
travel be for legitimate educational purposes. Except for educational
travel that was permitted by regulation in effect on January 27, 2011, all educational travel shall be
under the auspices of an organization subject to the jurisdiction of the United
States, and all such travelers must be accompanied by a representative of the
sponsoring organization.
·
(ii) The regulations shall further require that those traveling for the
permissible purposes of non academic education or to provide support for the
Cuban people:
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(A) engage in a full-time schedule of activities that enhance contact
with the Cuban people, support civil society in Cuba, or promote the Cuban
people's independence from Cuban authorities; and
·
(B) meaningfully interact with individuals in Cuba.
·
(iii)
The regulations shall continue to provide that every person engaging in travel to Cuba shall keep
full and accurate records of all transactions related to authorized travel,
regardless of whether they were effected pursuant to license or otherwise, and
such records shall be available for examination by the Department of the
Treasury for at least 5 years after the date they occur.
·
(iv) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the
Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Transportation shall review their
respective agencies' enforcement of all categories of permissible travel within
90 days of the date the regulations described in this subsection are finalized
to ensure such enforcement accords with the policies outlined in section 2 of
this memorandum.
·
(c) The Secretary of the Treasury
shall regularly audit travel to Cuba to ensure that travelers are complying
with relevant statutes and regulations. The Secretary of the Treasury
shall request that the Inspector General of the Department of the Treasury
inspect the actions taken by the Department of the Treasury to implement this
audit requirement. The Inspector General of the Department of the
Treasury shall provide a report to the President, through the Secretary of the
Treasury, summarizing the results of that inspection within 180 days of the
adjustment of current regulations described in subsection (b) of this section
and annually thereafter.
·
(d) The Secretary of the Treasury
shall adjust the Department of the Treasury's current regulation defining the
term "prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba" so that, for
purposes of title 31, part 515 of the Code of Federal Regulations, it includes
Ministers and Vice-Ministers; members of the Council of State and the Council
of Ministers; members and employees of the National Assembly of People's Power;
members of any provincial assembly; local sector chiefs of the Committees for
the Defense of the Revolution; Director Generals and sub-Director Generals and
higher of all Cuban ministries and state agencies; employees of the Ministry of
the Interior (MININT); employees of the Ministry of Defense (MINFAR);
secretaries and first secretaries of the Confederation of Labor of Cuba (CTC)
and its component unions; chief editors, editors, and deputy editors of Cuban
state-run media organizations and programs, including newspapers, television,
and radio; and members and employees of the Supreme Court (Tribuno Supremo
Nacional).
·
(e) The Secretary of State and the
Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations shall
oppose efforts at the United Nations or (with respect to the Secretary of
State) any other international forum to lift the embargo until a transition
government in Cuba, as described in section 205 of the LIBERTAD Act, exists.
·
(f) The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Attorney General, shall provide a report to the President
assessing whether and to what degree the Cuban government has satisfied the
requirements of a transition government as described in section 205(a) of the
LIBERTAD Act, taking into account the additional factors listed in section
205(b) of that Act. This report shall include a review of human rights
abuses committed against the Cuban people, such as unlawful detentions,
arbitrary arrests, and inhumane treatment.
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(g) The Attorney General shall,
within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, issue a report to the President
on issues related to fugitives from American justice living in Cuba or being
harbored by the Cuban government.
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(h) The Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development shall review all democracy
development programs of the Federal Government in Cuba to ensure that
they align with the criteria set forth in section 109(a) of the LIBERTAD Act.
·
(i) The Secretary of State shall
convene a task force, composed of relevant agencies, including the Office of Cuba Broadcasting,
and appropriate non-governmental organizations and private-sector entities, to
examine the technological challenges and opportunities for expanding internet
access in Cuba, including through Federal Government support of programs and
activities that encourage freedom of expression through independent media and
internet freedom so that the Cuban people can enjoy the free and unregulated
flow of information.
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(j) The Secretary of State and the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall continue to discourage dangerous, unlawful
migration that puts Cuban and American lives at risk. The Secretary of
Defense shall continue to provide support, as necessary, to the Department of
State and the Department of Homeland Security in carrying out duties regarding
interdiction of migrants.
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(k) The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense, the
Attorney General, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Homeland
Security, shall annually
report to the President regarding the engagement of the United States with Cuba
to ensure that engagement is advancing the interests of the United States.
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(l) All activities conducted
pursuant to subsections (a) through (k) of this section shall be carried out in
a manner that furthers the interests of the United States, including by
appropriately protecting sensitive sources, methods, and operations of the
Federal Government.
·
Sec. 4. Earlier Presidential
Actions. (a) This memorandum amends sections 1 and 3 of National
Security Presidential Memorandum 5 of June 16, 2017 (Strengthening the Policy
of the United States Toward Cuba) (NSPM-5), and reissues NSPM-5 in its
entirety. It does not otherwise amend the text or timelines reflected in
the original NSPM-5 and is not intended to direct agencies to repeat actions
already implemented under that NSPM.
·
(b) This memorandum supersedes and
replaces both National Security Presidential Directive 52 of June 28, 2007
(U.S. Policy toward Cuba), and Presidential Policy Directive 43 of October 14,
2016 (United States-Cuba Normalization).
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(c) This memorandum does not affect
either Executive Order 12807 of May 24, 1992 (Interdiction of Illegal Aliens),
or Executive Order 13276 of November 15, 2002 (Delegation of Responsibilities
Concerning Undocumented Aliens Interdicted or Intercepted in the Caribbean
Region).
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Sec. 5. General Provisions.
(a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise
affect:
·
(i)
the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head
thereof; or
·
(ii)
the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating
to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
·
(b) This memorandum shall be
implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
·
(c) This memorandum is not intended
to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its
departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.
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(d) The Secretary of State is hereby
authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
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·
DONALD J. TRUMP
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