In a swift policy reversal, newly sworn-in President Donald Trump on Monday rescinded the Biden administration’s move to remove Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. The White House announced the decision just hours after Trump’s inauguration to a second term.
The action overturns a January 14 order by then-President Joe Biden, which had sought to lift the Communist-ruled island’s designation as a terrorism sponsor. Trump signed a “rescission” to block the measure, marking one of several rollbacks targeting Biden-era policies deemed “harmful” by the new administration.
The decision keeps Cuba on the list, a designation originally reinstated by Trump during his first term in 2021. Biden’s announcement last week, which included Cuba’s agreement to release over 500 prisoners, was intended to ease Trump-era sanctions and reestablish diplomatic progress with Havana.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned Trump’s action, calling it an “act of mockery and abuse” in a social media statement. Cuba has consistently denied supporting terrorism and had begun releasing prisoners as part of a broader Vatican-mediated plan. Trump’s move raises questions about whether those releases will continue.
Remaining on the terrorism list imposes stringent sanctions on Cuba, exacerbating the island’s ongoing economic crisis. Biden’s policy had also aimed to reverse other restrictions, including a 2017 Trump order limiting financial transactions with Cuban military-linked entities. Additionally, Biden sought to halt lawsuits under the Helms-Burton Act, which allows claims against Cuban and foreign companies for property seized after Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution.
Trump’s stance on Cuba, a centerpiece of his first term, included reversing Obama-era efforts to normalize relations with Havana. His administration argued the measures were necessary to combat alleged human rights abuses and support for terrorism, charges that Cuba denies.
Cuba initially welcomed Biden’s January 14 announcement as a positive step but criticized the U.S. for maintaining a Cold War-era trade embargo. Many of the prisoners Cuba agreed to release had been detained during widespread anti-government protests in July 2021, the largest demonstrations since the revolution.
The Biden administration’s actions had faced praise from human rights groups and criticism from Trump allies, setting the stage for continued tension over U.S.-Cuba relations under Trump’s renewed leadership.
