OAN Staff Jenna Lee
5:12 PM – Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a stark warning to Cuba, stating that any attempt by Havana to acquire advanced weaponry capable of striking the U.S. or its assets would invite a direct military confrontation.
Hegseth delivered the firm message to American service members during a visit to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay on Wednesday, amid rising regional tensions.
The Pentagon chief integrated his security briefing with the troops by participating in a morning physical fitness session, meeting with stationed personnel, and hosting a traditional coin recognition ceremony to honor outstanding performance.
“It would be unwise of the government of Cuba to try to procure or get access to the types of weapons that could reach this base or the American homeland. They would be inviting the kind of confrontation not only do they not want but they could not stand. No country on Earth can match the capabilities of the United States of America,” he emphasized at the base.
According to intelligence leaks, Cuba has acquired more than 300 military drones from Russia and Iran since 2023 and recently discussed contingency plans to use them against the Guantanamo base, U.S. naval vessels and targets in Florida.
Washington has also warned of potential military action as U.S. warships continue to operate in the Caribbean Sea.
Meanwhile, the visit unfolds amid an intensifying U.S. energy and oil blockade against the island, which has further crippled Cuba’s power grid. President Donald Trump has repeatedly hinted that Havana could be the next government to fall under intense American pressure, following the recent collapse of the Venezuelan regime.
After the news hit headlines, Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez fiercely denied the intelligence reports, accusing the U.S. of fabricating a baseline pretext to plot its next conflict.
The War Secretary’s trip comes less than two weeks after General Francis Donovan, the commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), visited the base and held a rare meeting with a senior Cuban general. Located on Cuba’s southeastern coast, Guantanamo Bay Naval Base — often called Gitmo — is the oldest overseas U.S. military installation. It comprises a strategic naval base and a detention facility established after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
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