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News & Current Events Apr 20, 2026 at 12:48 PM

US imposed 2-week deadline during secret Cuba meeting

Posted by usatoday


US imposed 2-week deadline during secret Cuba meeting
USA TODAY
US imposed 2-week deadline during secret Cuba meeting
The US gave Cuba two weeks to free high-profile political prisoners during a secret meeting or face up to the Trump administration's consequences.

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Yurdahil 5 days ago +175
Can we set a 2-week deadline for the US to stop stupid 2-week deadlines?
175
euclid0472 5 days ago +39
Only after infrastructure week in 2 weeks
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seaelbee 5 days ago +18
Isn’t that happening right after the Health Care Plan gets published in 2 weeks?
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tomismybuddy 5 days ago +9
And after his tax returns are released in 2 weeks.
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Upstairs_Eagle_4780 5 days ago +6
We're going to need to wait 2 weeks for fuel prices to go down first.
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Jesuismieux412 5 days ago +1
“Dooooooo weeks….”
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big-papito 4 days ago +1
We are going to get back to you in two weeks about it, ok grt thx baiii
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isthereadrwho 5 days ago +267
Is that the same deadline they imposed on the Iranians because that didn't seem to work so well
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Diurnalnugget 5 days ago +57
Cuba lacks a trade route valuable to most of the world that it can reliably target.
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Shoddy-Solution4815 5 days ago +1
[ Removed by Listnook ]
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Diurnalnugget 5 days ago +2
The tune of half of Cuba going away very quickly. the entirety of maga will be up in arms about it and trump is more than happy for an excuse to get rid of cuba.
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Diurnalnugget 5 days ago +4
Alright so for some reason Listnook removed his comment but I’ll add the gist of it here since my reply looks a bit 0-100 without it. He basically said cuba striking back against the US would change the tune of the US
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CurtisLeow 5 days ago +3
He probably got removed for inciting violence.
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CurtisLeow 5 days ago +50
Cuba has 1/10th the population and can’t shut down a vital shipping lane. Cuba is right next to the US. Intervening in Cuba is not a good thing, but it isn’t as idiotic as intervening in Iran.
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yuje 5 days ago +5
Cuba would actually in a perfect position to control any traffic coming in or out of the Gulf of Mexico, which leads to the Mississippi River, America’s largest inland waterway, if they actually had any missiles or worthwhile military to take advantage of that position.
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CurtisLeow 5 days ago +31
Cargo ships can go along the Florida Keys. They don’t have to go anywhere near Cuba. The US also has massive military bases in South Florida. The US has a much larger military presence in Florida than in the Middle East. Cuba is unable to shut down shipping out of the Gulf. It’s not even remotely comparable to the Strait of Hormuz.
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morroalto 5 days ago +11
Are also forgetting that the US has a military base in Cuba?
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fullofspiders 5 days ago +18
Or if they had wizards, which is equally likely.
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Just_a_follower 5 days ago +6
If they could manufacture tons of things themselves, and had massive underground bunkers, and technology for sub drones, and money to pay for it all, and energy independence. Yeah then they would wreck New Orleans, Tampa, and Houston.
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Sufficient-Diver-327 5 days ago +2
Also no geography to hide massive amounts of artillery and ballistic missiles. The issue with Iran is that you CAN'T bomb all their artillery away
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Brambletail 5 days ago +1
You um forgot that the US actually controls the Gulf. Like, unchallengeably controls the Gulf. No power projection needed. Cuba would stand little chance at negatively impacting world trade. But despite that, the US still should not intervene. It's highly doubtful Cubans want US intervention or that US intervention is the best way to solve Cuba's problems. US backed regime change might be effective, or US assistance at internal reform, but large scale military intervention would just make a massive mess much closer to the US mainland with a refugee crisis unparalleled since the pandemic.
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ForsakenRacism 5 days ago +7
It’s the same deadline they imposed on Covid and his tax returns and their health plan
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DGlen 5 days ago +6
You won't be saying that two weeks from now. Or maybe two weeks after that.
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Impressive-One7037 5 days ago +10
Cubans aren't armed to the teeth with drones and missiles though
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isthereadrwho 4 days ago +1
But you don't know that because a couple Russian ships of docked but you're probably right don't they have Hills then Castro hide in the Hills
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Sad_Enthusiasm_3721 5 days ago +3
Nah, this is right after infrastructure week, which is in two weeks.
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Turner82 4 days ago +2
Same timeframe as the healthcare bill
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AnnualZealousideal27 4 days ago +1
You’re confusing that with the Russian sanctions deadline. /s
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mostdope28 5 days ago +90
The thing about “negotiating” with the trump admin is they never negotiate in good faith so there is no point in doing anything they say. The United States reputation is garbage currently and everything we say is a lie.
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Ctrl-Alt-Q 5 days ago +32
This is why Trump was a failed businessman. He thought you had to "win" every interaction, and completely ignored the fact that without trustworthiness and reliability, nobody wants to do business with you. The US needs to oust him before the world's new strategy of diversifying away from US trade becomes entrenched.
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Winter_Aspect_8675 5 days ago +10
His dealings seemed to eschew the mutually beneficial for the adversarial. Unless you were getting screwed over and humiliated in some fashion it isn't a proper deal for Donny. If he has to renege on his commitments to achieve this, so be it. Good faith is for suckers. Even his friendships with others bizness guys had this spiteful element, ringing them up on speaker phone while their wives were present and coaxing them to regale him about their infidelities. The mindset of a tiny man, punch down as hard as you can, jealously, spitefully savage your peers, suck up to your betters while secretly loathing them. Fred Trump's creature, a bane upon the world.
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gweisz123 5 days ago -7
I would like 10% of this failed businessman's net worth.
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Scottiths 5 days ago +7
He has a lot of money, most of it stolen from taxpayers. Prior to becoming the president he would have had a lot more money if he never started any of his business and just put his inherited wealth into an index fund. He is a failed businessman in the sense that he would have more money if he didn't fail at so many businesses and invested in other successful businesses instead.
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usatoday 5 days ago +30
From USA TODAY: The U.S. has given Cuba a two-week deadline to release high-profile political prisoners as a gesture of good faith, as part of the Trump administration’s broader demands for economic and political reforms on the island. The demand was presented during a secret meeting on April 10 in Cuba, according to a source familiar with the discussion. Some of the names floated for release included Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel Osorbo, dissident artists from the San Isidro movement who were sentenced in 2022. In a statement to USA TODAY, a State Department spokesperson said the Trump administration remains committed to the release of all political prisoners, including Alcántara and Osorbo. Read more: [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/04/19/us-cuba-two-week-deadline-political-prisoners/89691443007/](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/04/19/us-cuba-two-week-deadline-political-prisoners/89691443007/)
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Sideshow-Bob-Ross 5 days ago +41
Is it really a good faith gesture if it's a demand with a deadline?
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ajnin919 5 days ago +19
Everything trump does is in good faith. Didn’t you see the post of him as Jesus?
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jsmith_92 5 days ago +3
He’s got great faith, some might even say the best faith
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Sideshow-Bob-Ross 5 days ago +4
Faith like you've never seen before.
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Acrobatic-Air6729 5 days ago +6
Oh yeah. "Praise be to Allah" and all that
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skwerrel 5 days ago +1
No, he was dressed as a doctor in the picture
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slothcough 5 days ago +5
Well you see, Cuba is demanded to act in good faith while the USA gets to do whatever the f*** they want including turning off so many resources to the island that people are literally starving in the hospitals are struggling to maintain power. That's fair right?
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Automatic_Brain7664 5 days ago
Honestly, I'm just glad he can't come after Assata.
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Imaginary-Hyena2858 5 days ago +26
At this point if the US starts giving you deadlines you should just prepare for an attack
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Responsible_Knee7632 5 days ago +6
Prepare for the slight possibility of an attack. Seems like there’s been a new 2 week deadline of some sort every few days since January last year with maybe 5% of them amounting to anything lol
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Imaginary-Hyena2858 5 days ago +5
Yeah I should've been more clear. Trump's deadlines are always flakey, but I more so meant if he starts demanding things (which are usually just total capitulation) from another country it's usually because he is going to attack
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UnknownAverage 5 days ago +2
You can't satisfy the Trump admin, just like you can't satisfy Trump. There will be another "two week" demand following it for something else. Forever. Even if it's just a "remember who is really in charge here" pointless demand. The Trump system works, and the only way to stop it is to stop it early so he moves on to someone else who will be an easier target.
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Inquisitor_ForHire 2 days ago +1
We've had one deadline yes, but what about second deadline?!
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Ultra_Metal 5 days ago -7
Or you should just do what the US says because nobody can survive an attack by the US.
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Imaginary-Hyena2858 5 days ago +14
1) that's a terrible way of conducting foreign policy 2) there's countless examples in recent history of governments outlasting a war against the US
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Ultra_Metal 5 days ago -3
Wrong. Cuba has no chance.
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Imaginary-Hyena2858 5 days ago +9
I agree on Cuba not standing a chance but saying nobody can is ridiculous
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toeknn 5 days ago -9
Well the people currently in charge certainly dont survive. So hope succesion is laid out well in whoever challenges the US.
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Imaginary-Hyena2858 5 days ago +7
Cutting the head of the snake has not worked well for the US when it comes to Islamic governments/terrorist orgs
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toeknn 5 days ago -4
Aside from iran so far no government we lopped the head off so far sucvesfully avoided falling into dysfunctional internal strife. So thats inaccurate.
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Imaginary-Hyena2858 5 days ago +7
And does various failed states in the middle east help the US?
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toeknn 5 days ago -2
Divide and conquer has long been an effective strategy to keep a hegemon from forming in an empire prone region. But that aside. Thats a goalpost movement. Prior to devolving into failed states those islamic states were able to exert outwardly, often against US interests. Post befoming a failed state, they can not.
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ApprehensivePay1735 5 days ago +7
We spent a trillion dollars and thousands of lives over 20 years to replace the taliban with the taliban.
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toeknn 5 days ago +1
Sure did. But for that 20 years the taliban were neutered and ineffective. Even now their scope in ME is not what it was before invasion.
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[deleted] 5 days ago -9
[deleted]
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Imaginary-Hyena2858 5 days ago +10
Yes but as we saw with Iran and Venezuela, the US doesn't seem to be negotiating in good faith, but instead to buy time to get military assets in place
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No-Essay-9008 5 days ago +3
In this case, assets have been in place forever. The Island is 90 miles from Florida, which has about 67000 active duty personnel and more than a dozen bases. Also Guantanamo bay base directly on the island (not really equipped for invasion officially, but who really knows what is stashed there). Carrier group has operated in Carrabin for a while now. Point is that I don't think US needs time to mobilize forces.
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[deleted] 5 days ago -5
[deleted]
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sentrypetal 5 days ago +8
Doesn’t seem like your stick is working in Iran. Perhaps the stick was an illusion all along.
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[deleted] 5 days ago +1
[deleted]
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sentrypetal 5 days ago +6
The longer the blockade goes the bigger the oil shock when it hits. Last time we saw high inflation and significantly higher interest rates.
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toeknn 5 days ago -2
The stick has whalloped many mole. Strange claim to make that it isnt working.
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Imaginary-Hyena2858 5 days ago +7
Whack-a-mole is an accurate description of what's happening but I don't think that metaphor supports your claim
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toeknn 5 days ago -2
I think it does. The stick is as powerful as its ever been. The stick isnt the part not upholding its part in the "speak softly carry big stick"
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Imaginary-Hyena2858 5 days ago +5
Does whack-a-mole end with the person with the stick finally running out of moles?
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toeknn 5 days ago -2
Ends when stick gets broken or nothing left to smack
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sentrypetal 5 days ago
Strait of Hormuz closed last time I checked, so the stick seems to have failed.
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toeknn 5 days ago
Closed by US stick as much as Iranian stick. Sooo stick doing stick things. Dosnt seem like its failed yet.
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sentrypetal 5 days ago +1
Its failed problem is that by the time you figure out you have no leverage the entire global economy will be in a recession.
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toeknn 5 days ago
Oo scary. Recession.
0
BarryZZZ 5 days ago +4
Trump should be removed from office before he gets into, of all things, a guerilla war in Cuba!
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WardenEdgewise 5 days ago +4
The US is sure getting some mileage out of the “two week deadline” meme.
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Illustrious-Job-6390 5 days ago +37
The US needs to be addressed as what it is: an extortionist terrorist group.   They want "good faith" gestures with no promises in return, no diplomacy and no shred of human decency.  
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Ultra_Metal 5 days ago -41
So you want Cuba to continue torturing political prisoners?
-41
Libinky 5 days ago +33
Is that a standard we should follow? We better call for a draft because there are dozens of countries that fit that criteria, Including ourselves! The treatment of detainees in our ICE facilities is certainly torture!
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Cobrastrikenana 5 days ago +15
In the US, we ignore that we have millions of political prisoners. The harsher sentencing and aggressive police presence in black communities turned up during Nixon and Reagan specifically to limit their voting power.
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Ultra_Metal 5 days ago -39
Thank you for confirming you don't care about the victims of the Cuban regime's tyranny.
-39
TheBatemanFlex 5 days ago +10
1m old account begone.
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Ultra_Metal 4 days ago
I will continue making comments, and there is nothing you can do about it.
0
[deleted] 5 days ago +15
[deleted]
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Ultra_Metal 5 days ago -28
I say what I want and I don't take orders from anyone.
-28
LifeGainsss 5 days ago +10
Oh, so you're just an idiot. Got it
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Ultra_Metal 4 days ago +1
Insults make shitty arguments. Thank you for proving me right!
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Illustrious-Job-6390 5 days ago +2
Lmao who will be defending the prisoners in your American ICE jails?  Let me guess, your shit don't stink. 
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MatioyrsIfo 4 days ago +1
You defend Israel torturing Palestinians.
1
[deleted] 5 days ago -38
[deleted]
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Illustrious-Job-6390 5 days ago +4
Lmao the US has been sanctioning Cuba for decades, crippling their economy, and now they want money for stuff that happened also decades ago...  Americans have some entitlement to them.... Cubans are amazing people and I wish I would challenge you to ask people what they think about Americans. 
4
PaulInGalatia 5 days ago +9
Decency from Americans… If I was Cuban I would laugh at your funny joke.
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Cobrastrikenana 5 days ago +4
Wait till he finds out these “artists” took money from the CIA
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Choice_Price_4464 5 days ago
If you were Cuban you'd probably be trying to get on a boat to Florida.
0
PaulInGalatia 5 days ago +11
Yeah jeez probably cause the US has been f****** with my island for the last 60 years. Americans do everything short of bombing the country and be like “Damn that place is ass”
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MiamiVicePurple 5 days ago +12
Yup Americans destabilize Central and South American countries and then get pissed when refuges and immigrants show up from them.
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PaulInGalatia 5 days ago +5
Exactly “Damn, why are there so many Latinos?” - Dude from country with most violent foreign policy in history
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Illustrious-Job-6390 5 days ago +1
Typical.  Embargo a country into economic ruin and then wonder why they want to flee. 
1
Dalmahr 5 days ago +1
OK so if a country threatens to bomb the US because of their immigrant concentration camps that's cool to you too? Should they bomb out schools also? Because that's the kind of "decency" we've done to Iran. The kind of decency we funded in Gaza.
1
[deleted] 5 days ago -5
[deleted]
-5
Dalmahr 5 days ago +3
Do I have to prove it or does another country have to suspect it enough? Because right now, you are only believing stuff your government says. And currently we "suspect" a lot of bad things. But who are we to police them? Are we the kings of the world? Our rules or we bomb you a and all your schools and universities, schools, police stations, civilian infrastructure. As far as the school we struck, it was deliberate. The US even admitted it but said it was due to "old info" and not only that but we've bombed over. 30 universities in Iran. I'm sure they all had hama... I mana IRGC infrastructure under them. Also concentration camps don't equal holocaust, but can lead to one.
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[deleted] 5 days ago
[deleted]
0
Dalmahr 5 days ago +1
OK buddy. Believe what you like lol the Americans are always the good guys. They'll welcome us as heroes!
1
[deleted] 5 days ago +1
[deleted]
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Dalmahr 5 days ago -1
I'm not going to do your thinking for you.. You don't understand what I said. The thing you asked me to prove is something I said another country could accuse the US of since, we are actually putting immigrants into concentration campsike alligator Alcatraz. It was on TV. You can also look up all the claims of terrible food and conditions in those camps. This could be true or not be true or not, but if a country decided to believe in what people are saying of how bad they were, then I guess that's enough to bomb us. Why do I need to prove to you what another country could accuse us of?
-1
MikeSteamer 5 days ago +11
This from a country regularly breaking human rights laws, arresting and deporting US citizens without due process and supporting a country involved in ethnic cleansing. Trump has proves that US citizenry is unable to concentrate and focus on issues by constantly disrupting you. Economy? Epstein? Grift and illegal financial transaction? Insider trading? Pardons for bribes? Etc etc.
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Seanspeed 4 days ago +1
Trump would be deeply jealous of Cuba's ability to crack down on media that's not state approved.
1
PreciousFlounder 5 days ago +2
Where have I heard this before lol
2
McMacHack 5 days ago +2
It's such a secret that everyone knows about it now
2
aroq13 5 days ago +2
Someone, at some point, gave Trump a 2 week deadline and it really freaked him out. It’s the only thing that would explain his usage of “tWo WeEkS!”
2
hmatthias 5 days ago +2
Not much of a secret then is it
2
Jean_Claude_Seagal 5 days ago +2
It’s always 2 weeks
2
sloppybuttmustard 5 days ago +2
How the f*** are we going to survive another 2.5 years of this shit
2
EffReddit420 5 days ago +2
Not so secret now is it
2
Sideshow-Bob-Ross 5 days ago +4
Two weeks, AKA one Trumple. E: or maybe a fartnight.
4
[deleted] 5 days ago +3
[removed]
3
Libinky 5 days ago +1
I thought the standard timeline is always 2 weeks.
1
IAmAGenusAMA 5 days ago +2
It's an Office reference.
2
dukeofnes 5 days ago +1
It'd be weird id they DIDN'T impose a 2-week deadline, no?
1
highpl4insdrftr 5 days ago +1
What is it with the 2 week deadlines?
1
imaginary_num6er 5 days ago +1
2 Weeks from this Tuesday
1
antisocialdecay 5 days ago +1
“2 weeks”
1
Kyr-Shara 5 days ago +1
too weak trump loves two week tantrums
1
e4evie 5 days ago +1
Cuba: hey Iran, you want to store some missles here?? Iran: lol bet!
1
Supadupasloth 5 days ago +1
Okay I need to learn the buy sell trick for this next round of grifting.
1
kelp_llama 5 days ago +1
must pass go! someone’s trying to collect three properties of the same suit so they can build hotels. someone must have told them they own PR already.
1
LightHeartsLiveLong 5 days ago +1
Donny 2 Weeks
1
deadR0 5 days ago +1
Trump wants to rule the world and will take countries one by one to do it.  
1
williamgman 5 days ago +1
So two weeks from Tuesday..? TACO Tuesday..?
1
Phantom_61 5 days ago +1
What the f*** is his obsession with 2 weeks?
1
MaximumNameDensity 5 days ago +1
He just really likes Scrum, that's all.
1
ForsakenRacism 5 days ago +1
2 weeks to slow the spread
1
jacksraging_bileduct 5 days ago +1
Double secret probation.
1
DramaticWesley 5 days ago +1
I wonder if the Trump administration knows a timeframe exists besides “two weeks”. Everything is “two weeks” with these numbskulls.
1
Donkey_4838_Jetts 5 days ago +1
2 weeks huh? Can the guy count to 3?
1
Chegwarn 4 days ago +1
1. Demand, threaten and attempt to bully a country into bending the knee to the ‘Trump empire’ (formerly known as the United States of America). Complying with any and all commands the ‘Commander in thief’ spews out. 2. After any attempt of dialogue or diplomacy from said country is made, threaten them harder, maybe imply you’ll kill everyone. Impose an arbitrary 2 week deadline. For some reason it’s always two weeks. 3. When the demands aren’t met when the deadline arrives? Simply lie and say that they have been in order to save face in a pathetic attempt to veil your utter inadequacy as a leader and human being. 4. Claim it both was and wasn’t a war at the same time and that you solved it as to add that to your (bull)shit-list of imaginary things you’ve done! 5. Threaten the pope. 4.
1
Scared-Hope-868 4 days ago +1
2 weeks, every deadline is 2 weeks, followed by another 2 week deadline.
1
GardenPeep 4 days ago +1
So do these Cuban dissidents get to emigrate to the U.S.?
1
JerrekCarter 4 days ago +1
Why always two weeks? Did they calculate it to be just enough time for it to leave a News cycle and the populous to generally forget about it/be distracted by the next controversy?
1
N3333K0 4 days ago +1
What is with 2 and Trump? 2 week deadline, every refund check he promises is 2k… serious question.
1
Striking_Wrap811 4 days ago +1
Its his throwaway number. Its what he says to buy time. He knows the news cycle will be past it by then.
1
urgencynow 5 days ago +1
If only we could set deadline on US for political réforme too
1
Baystars2025 5 days ago +1
Soon to be 10th war ended
1
ShoughThePainAway 5 days ago +1
very secret meeting huh
1
LewisKIII 5 days ago +1
TACO'S famous two week deadline! 🤣
1
HarderThanFlesh 5 days ago +1
Stop including the rest of US citizens in this. These are the acts of the orange idiot regime.
1
caseaday 5 days ago
Hello.... wake up! Very clearly Putin has told tRump to take Venezuela, Iran and Cuba as long he can have Ukraine. If this wasn't going on, Russia would be making a lot of noise about these US invasions.
0
redstarjedi 5 days ago +5
Trump's actions aren't on orders from Putin. It is consistent with over a century of US imperial history. Russia is a weak state and is slowly winning a war of attrition in Ukraine something that was never supposed to happen. Their objections would have been ignored like all the other objections they have brought up since the end of the Soviet Union.
5
LaserJul 5 days ago
Man, it's really difficult not to seriously dislike americans
0
Impossible_Song4571 5 days ago -1
As much as I prefer the USA stay to itself more often, the Cubans would celebrate if the leadership and system was replaced. Many have starved for decades.
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