Democrats try to blunt Trump in Cuba -- before it's too late

Source: USA Today

Updated April 25, 2026, 8:59 a.m. ET


WASHINGTON — With the clock ticking down on the Trump administration's ultimatum to Cuba's government, congressional Democrats are scrambling to stop President Donald Trump from starting another military conflict. Democratic Reps. Jonathan Jackson and Pramila Jayapal told their colleagues on April 21 during a closed-door meeting of the Congressional Progressive Caucus that they need to apply more pressure, the lawmakers told USA TODAY in interviews.

The group agreed in the room to back a resolution that would prohibit Trump from unilaterally launching an invasion and a bill that would prohibit him from using federal funds for an operation. They also threw their support behind legislation that would repeal the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba. The measures must receive final sign-off from the caucus, Jayapal said, but that’s usually a routine process.

Efforts by Democrats escalated after USA TODAY reported that senior State Department officials delivered an ultimatum to Cuba's communist government during a secret meeting. U.S. diplomats told their Cuban counterparts that they had a small window to meet U.S. demands before circumstances irreversibly worsened. Earlier in the week, USA TODAY exclusively reported that the Pentagon was asked to draw up contingency plans in case Trump decides to launch a military operation.

Democrats realistically have few tools at their disposal to constrain Trump, with Republicans in control of both chambers of the legislative branch. They’ve appealed to Trump in official letters and hammered the State Department for answers. After getting nowhere with their own government, Jayapal and Jackson made a rare trip to Havana in early April to speak directly with the Cuban president. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine is aiming to force a vote on a war powers resolution next week, with Trump using heated rhetoric like, "Cuba is next.". “I don't think that we should just assume, oh well, he's just bluffing. I think you have to take that seriously,” Kaine told USA TODAY.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/04/25/democrats-congress-trump-cuba-military-conflict/89605385007/