President Donald Trump has quietly retreated from his bombastic vow to choke off Cuba's oil supply, allowing a Russian tanker to deliver crude to the island and signaling the administration may let other shipments through, too.
The about-face, reported by The New York Times on Monday, comes after months of Trump threatening to take over Cuba entirely and declaring in January: "THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA — ZERO!"
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Monday the administration would now evaluate oil shipments to Cuba on a "case-by-case basis" — a far cry from Trump's all-caps ultimatum.
The carve-out for Russia raised eyebrows. Trump, who has long admired Vladimir Putin, waved through a Russian tanker while simultaneously warning Mexico not to send oil to the island. Putin's spokesman admitted the shipment had been cleared in advance with Washington.
The blockade has devastated Cubans, triggering daily blackouts, food shortages, school cancelations and health care troubles. The Russian tanker provides only a few weeks of fuel at best.
Cuba's deputy foreign minister took a victory lap, telling Al Jazeera: "Cuba is not alone."
Experts say Trump's retreat reveals his real strategy — not a total blockade, but total control over who gets through and when.
"The point is about controlling all the levers," said Ricardo Herrero of the Cuba Study Group. "The United States decides what goes in, what goes out, when, at what price."