- Trump says oil exports through Hormuz exceed pre-war levels, lauds US Navy.
- Repeats claims of ending 8 wars, including one between Pakistan, India.
- US oil blockade deepens Cuba’s shortages, draws UN condemnation.
US President Donald Trump has vowed to turn his attention to Cuba after the war with Iran, while suggesting Washington could bring the conflict with Tehran to an end soon and claiming the United States is maintaining oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at a rally in Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday, Trump said the United States could end the war with Iran soon, but questioned whether it should stop fighting or allow Tehran to become further weakened.
“The question is, do we end the war or do we let Iran get even weaker?” Trump said, according to his remarks.
He said oil was continuing to move through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that more oil was being exported through the strategic waterway than before the war. Trump also said the United States was extracting oil through the strait on its own terms and praised the US Navy for its performance.
Trump said Iran was facing economic difficulties, inflation and financial pressure, suggesting that the pressure on Tehran was mounting.
The president also revisited his claims of having ended eight wars around the world, saying he had used tariffs to stop five of them. He complained that he had not received the Nobel Peace Prize despite what he described as his role in ending conflicts.
Trump specifically cited the conflict between Pakistan and India, both nuclear-armed countries, claiming he had helped prevent a war by warning the two sides that they would face trade restrictions if fighting continued.
He said he had threatened to impose heavy tariffs if they failed to stop the conflict and claimed that 11 aircraft had been shot down during the Pakistan-India fighting.
He described ending wars as an honour and said the United Nations had not helped him in those efforts.
Turning to Cuba, Trump said the United States would address the country after dealing with Iran, suggesting that US naval forces could stop near the island on their return and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be sent in to “finish up the deal”.
Rubio, whose family is of Cuban origin, has been a key figure in the administration’s Cuba policy.
Trump’s remarks come as his administration has intensified pressure on Cuba through an oil blockade that has worsened fuel shortages and blackouts amid the island’s deteriorating infrastructure. UN human rights experts have condemned the blockade, describing it as a violation of international law.
Trump has openly expressed a desire to change Cuba’s government. In September, he described the country as a “failed state” and said “freedom will be coming to Cuba” during remarks at the United Nations General Assembly, prompting the Cuban delegation to walk out.
The Florida rally also served to boost Republican Representative Byron Donalds’ campaign for governor against Democrat David Jolly.
Trump discussed a $250 million plan to hire at least 5,000 nurses for elder-care facilities and attacked Minnesota Republican Representative Ilhan Omar, while referring to Somalia as a “shithouse country”.
Rising oil prices remain a concern for Republicans ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, as the administration weighs its next steps in the war with Iran.
