“This is a limitation on what we did, not a reversal of what we did,” Rhodes said in an interview.įor Cubans, the shift risks stifling a nascent middle class that has started to rise as Americans have flocked to the island on airlines, patronizing thousands of private bed-and-breakfasts. Obama and his aides argued that commerce and travel between the countries, which has blossomed since he relaxed the rules, would make his policy irreversible.īen Rhodes, the former deputy national security adviser who negotiated Obama’s opening with the Cubans, said it was disappointing Trump was halting the momentum that had built but added that it could have been worse. Unable to persuade Congress to lift the decades-old trade embargo, Obama had used his power to adjust the rules that implement the embargo to expand built-in loopholes. Yet it also exposed the shortcomings in Obama’s approach. Trump’s declaration in a crowded, sweltering auditorium was a direct rebuke to Obama, for whom the diplomatic opening with Cuba was a central accomplishment of his presidency. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said Trump’s policy was “misguided” and will hurt the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, typically supportive of GOP presidents, predicted the changes would limit prospects for “positive change on the island,” while Rep. Trump is expected to announce maintaining diplomatic relations but restricting travel from the U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to announce his new policy on Cuba to Cuban-Americans on Thursday in the Little Havana area of Miami. still wanted to engage with Cuba in hopes of forging “a much stronger and better path.” The Manuel Artime Theater, named after one of the late leaders of the Brigade 2506 Bay of Pigs veterans, where U.S. In practice, however, many recent changes to boost ties to Cuba will stay as they are. “Officially, today, they are rejected.”ĭeclaring Obama’s pact with Castro a “completely one-sided deal,” Trump said he was cancelling it. “America has rejected the Cuban people’s oppressors,” Trump said in Miami’s Little Havana, the cradle of Cuban-American resistance to Castro’s government. But, in a shift from Obama’s approach, Trump said trade and other penalties would stay in place until a long list of prerequisites was met. Diplomatic relations, restored only two years ago, will remain intact. The Cuban government responded Friday evening by rejecting what it called Trump’s “hostile rhetoric.” Still, Cuba said it is willing to continue “respectful dialogue” with on topics of mutual interest.Įven as Trump predicted a quick end to President Raul Castro’s regime, he challenged Cuba to negotiate better agreements for Americans, Cubans and those whose identities lie somewhere in between. He clamped down on some commerce and travel but left intact many new avenues president Barack Obama had opened. and Cuba back on a path toward open hostility Friday with a blistering denunciation of the island’s communist government. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to publish this determination in the Federal Register.MIAMI-Pressing “pause” on a historic detente, U.S. Therefore, consistent with the authority vested in me by section 101(b) of Public Law 95-223, I continue for 1 year, until September 14, 2019, the exercise of those authorities with respect to Cuba, as implemented by the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. I hereby determine that the continuation of the exercise of those authorities with respect to Cuba for 1 year is in the national interest of the United States. 4305 note), and a previous determination on Septem(82 FR 42927, September 13, 2017), the exercise of certain authorities under the Trading With the Enemy Act is scheduled to expire on September 14, 2018. Under section 101(b) of Public Law 95-223 (91 Stat. SUBJECT: Continuation of the Exercise of Certain Authorities under the Trading With the Enemy Act Presidential Memorandum for the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury

Donald trump cuba federal register 2017