Trump signs executive order threatening tariffs on Cuba oil suppliers

On Jan. 29, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order declaring Cuba a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), unlocking unilateral authority to impose tariffs on any country selling oil to the island.

Mexico supplies approximately 44% of Cuba's oil. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Mexico had temporarily stopped oil shipments to Cuba while framing it as a sovereign decision, suggesting U.S. pressure.

Venezuela previously supplied 33% of Cuba's oil until the U.S. abducted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, 2026, cutting off that supply source entirely.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was tasked with identifying countries that sell oil to Cuba, who will then become targets for secondary sanctions and tariffs under Trump's order.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will consult on tariff implementation, giving the State Department a role in enforcing the economic pressure on third countries.

Trump cited Russia's Lourdes signals intelligence facility on Cuba as justification for declaring a national emergency, claiming Cuba poses a threat to U.S. security.

Cuban Foreign Minister BRBruno Rodríguez condemned the order as brutal aggression against a nation already enduring the longest and cruelest economic blockade ever imposed.

This is the first time IEEPA has been used for tariffs; courts are currently reviewing whether this executive interpretation is legal under the statute.