Cuba Relations Quotes

I think a policy of isolationism toward Cuba is misplaced and hasn't worked.

When I think of the things that Trump has done, ironically, everything is sort of - we care so much about Cuba and the Iran deal. I think pulling out of TPP is just devastating.

Ten Presidents have tried to do something about Cuba and the statis is quo.

I think what we need to do is understand our number one obligation is to act in the national interest of the United States of America. I believe it is in our national interest to see democracy take hold on the island of Cuba. And so we examine our foreign policy, including all the changes that President Obama made, in that lens and through that lens.

One of the most depressing things about President Donald Trump's decision to roll back elements of the Cuba opening is how predictable it was.

Our Cuba policy was a major obstacle to getting things done in the hemisphere and a source of tension around the world.

It’s about time we talked to Cuba instead of fighting a war that is 40 years old.

If Cuba wants normal relations, there's certain things they need to do like become a normal country that respects the rights of their citizens.

For more than fifty years, our policy towards Cuba was not making life better for Cubans. In many ways, it was making it worse.

I think our Cuban policy is insane…. I guess it’s the politics of Florida. The Cold War is long since over. Our embargo just lets Castro blame his troubles on us.. Just lift the embargo and let people do as they wish.

The White House announced plans to begin normalizing relations with Cuba - this as we're awkwardizing relations with Russia.

President Obama announced that he's going to reopen diplomatic relations with Cuba. He wants to act before Seth Rogen makes a movie about Castro.

In recent years, we have seen the United States back away from pressuring the Castro regime, under the misguided view that placating them with an open hand would yield progress. That naivete has invited only more cruelty and oppression in return.

Visionless status quo policy towards Latin-America, particularly towards Cuba, has turned off a lot of people, and I think it's created an opening.

[Barack Obama] is aware of the criticism back home [from Cuba] that this embargo still exists.

Hillary Clinton supported concessions to the Castro brothers and got almost nothing in return for ending the embargo.

Let's be honest: The trade embargo with Cuba hasn't secured our interests or helped the Cuban people. Because the way to promote positive change and better human rights in Cuba is through engagement, not isolation.

Here is the thing people do not understand. And I have said this repeatedly. I am not against changes in U.S. policy towards Cuba. I just want to make sure that those changes are reciprocal, that they're reciprocated by the Cuban government. That was not part of what President Obama did.

With President Obama restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba, the immigration preferential treatment given to Cubans... no longer makes sense.

Now that Mr. Trump is the President-elect: If he chooses, he can, by executive order, repeal most of what President Barack Obama brought into existence, including the thawing of the relationship between the United States and the people of Cuba. And because there is a Republican Senate, a Republican House of Representatives, a Republican president, it is more than likely that his legislative program will be accepted; his nominations to the Supreme Court may very well be accepted.

A whole series of changes that are in the code, are in the laws of the United States. If Cuba changes its position toward its own people, well then the policy of the United States changes also. That is what I would go after. I believe that many of the changes that this President has made, President Obama, are in violation of that law.