President Donald Trump says he believes he’ll have the “honor of taking Cuba.” As the island nation suffers from major blackouts and a US squeeze on its oil supply, its regime’s survival — and the country’s future broadly — is in question.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg reporters Eric Martin and Jim Wyss about the dire situation on the ground in Cuba, ongoing talks between the country’s leadership and the US and what could come next.

Read more: 
Cuba Is Struggling to Keep Lights On Amid Trump’s Oil Blockade
Can Cuba’s Regime Survive as US Chokes Oil Supplies?
Trump’s Plan for Cuba Would Make the US the Island’s Patron

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by David Fox; Reported by Eric Martin, Jim Wyss; Edited by Aaron Edwards.

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

President Donald Trump says he believes he&rsquo;ll have the &ldquo;honor of taking Cuba.&rdquo; As the island nation suffers from major blackouts and a US squeeze on its oil supply, its regime&rsquo;s survival &mdash; and the country&rsquo;s future broadly &mdash; is in question.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg reporters Eric Martin and Jim Wyss about the dire situation on the ground in Cuba, ongoing talks between the country&rsquo;s leadership and the US and what could come next.
Read more:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-cuba-oil-supply-power-grid-blackout/">Cuba Is Struggling to Keep Lights On Amid Trump&rsquo;s Oil Blockade</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-19/cuba-s-energy-crisis-can-the-regime-survive-us-oil-blockade">Can Cuba&rsquo;s Regime Survive as US Chokes Oil Supplies?</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-13/trump-s-plan-for-cuba-would-make-the-us-the-island-s-patron">Trump&rsquo;s Plan for Cuba Would Make the US the Island&rsquo;s Patron</a></li>
</ul>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by David Fox; Reported by Eric Martin, Jim Wyss; Edited by Aaron Edwards.
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

What Trump Wants in Cuba

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b322b3cd-7d0e-42cc-81a9-b4170155f14f/transcript