Tipsheet

The Biden Administration Made a Major Decision on Cuba. Marco Rubio Responds.

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  January 15, 2025 6:00 PM

There's just days to go until the Biden-Harris administration comes to an end, and yet we're still seeing some rather destructive changes from whoever is in charge while Biden is truly on the way out. On Tuesday, the administration made the move to remove Cuba from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST), doing so by executive order. Such a move came up during Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-FL) confirmation hearing the very next day. 

As he was being questioned by Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), the topic of Cuba and that decision from the administration came up. While he slammed such a move, and made clear, especially later in that same hearing, that Cuba does indeed sponsor terrorism, Rubio also words of hope.

"I would just remind anyone on this recent deal with Cuba, that just happened over the last 12 hours, nothing that was agreed to is irreversible or binding on the new administration," Rubio offered.

During that same exchange, Rubio also discussed with Scott how the Biden administration had lifted sanctions on Cuba when it comes to doing business, though again, it's a decision the Trump administration is not bound by. "Ultimately, the reality is the moment of truth is arriving," Rubio continued. "Cuba is literally collapsing, both generationally in terms of all the young people leaving, but it's also collapsing economically," as he spoke about how rolling blackouts affect the island country "because Marxism doesn't work, because they are corrupt, and because they are inept."

The senator also had a message for the Cuban leaders, about how "they are going to have a choice to make," whether or not to "open up to the world" and give individuals their own freedom and control or "triple down and say we would rather be the owners and controllers of a fourth world country that is falling apart and has lost 10 percent of its population in the last two years."

Recommended

Even Karine Jean-Pierre's Answer on the Gaza Deal Stunned Reporters Matt Vespa
Biden's Farewell Speech Was As Pathetic As You'd Expect Rebecca Downs

As he contrasted how his own hearing went, as well as the rights and freedoms that people in that part of the world have, Rubio lamented that "the Cuban people have not been able to participate in the political process for almost 70 years now," emphasizing "they are entitled to that."

Towards the end of the hearing, when Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) questioned Rubio, the topic came up once again. 

Cruz, a fellow Cuban-American whose family has also fled the oppression there, got right to it in criticizing such a move from the Biden administration, just as he also did for the recent episode of his podcast, "The Verdict."

"I think it was an absolutely shameful and reckless decision, I think it was a political decision on the way out, I think it was designed to hamstring the incoming administration," Cruz offered. "I am unequivocal that I think the Cuban government are evil, Communist bastards. Given your new job, I suspect you might be slightly less forceful in saying so, and slightly more diplomatic, but I know your heart on the question." 

Cruz went on to ask Rubio if he believes "Cuba is a state sponsor of terrorism?"

Rubio responded that he thought so "without a question," as he explained how Cuba has supported Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army (FARC) "throughout their entire existence," as well as how Cuba supports Hamas and Hezbollah. He also mentioned that the Cuban regime hosts the espionage stations of two countries within their national territory, and cooperates with them, as well as how they have "strong ties to Iran as well and the terrorist elements associated with them."

The nominee went on to stress that "we know for a fact that there are fugitives of American justice... including cop killers and others who are actively hosted in Cuba and protected from the long arm of American justice by the Cuban regime," adding, "so there's zero doubt in my mind that they," speaking about Cuba," meet all the qualifications from being a state sponsor of terrorism."

Although Cruz acknowledged Rubio might not be prepared to make such a commitment about rescinding the move from the Biden administration on Cuba, the nominee offered more comforting words. 

While Rubio indeed mentioned, "I don't want to speak ahead of the administration," and explained how his role would be "to execute" the foreign policy that the president sets, the move on Cuba is not binding on the Trump administration.

"I would remind anyone on this recent deal with Cuba, that just happened over the last 12 hours, nothing that was agreed to is irreversible or binding on the new administration," Rubio pointed out, also reminding people about how his feelings and President-elect Donald Trump's feelings on Cuba are known, including from Trump's first term. "Nothing that the Biden administration has agreed to in the last 12 or 18 hours binds the next administration, which starts on Monday," Rubio reassured. 

Reporting from The Hill adds some context about the deal, noting how it was done "in exchange for the release of political prisoners jailed for protesting against the regime in July 2021." This almost makes the move worse in such a way showing how the United States--at least for another few days--is willing to cave to terrorist sponsors and authoritarian regimes, like what we're seeing in Cuba. 

As we covered at the time, both Cruz and Rubio were quite vocal about the political upheaval that took place in July 2021. Cruz was also a keynote speaker at the American Conservative Union (ACU)'s event at the U.S. Capitol later that same month, the CPAC Free Cuba demonstration. 

Predictably, however, the Biden administration was particularly slow to react to the news of political upheaval in Cuba. It took days for the president to really condemn the evils of communism and the Cuban regime, when he was asked a question during a press conference.