Trump Reinstates Hard-Line US Policy on Cuba, Reverses Biden Measures, Reimposes Tourism Ban, Orders Sanctions Review

On June 30, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) reinstating a hard-line policy toward Cuba. This memorandum reverses the measures implemented by former President Joe Biden and reimposes sanctions from Trump's first term. Key provisions include the enforcement of a legal ban on American tourism to Cuba and restrictions on financial transactions that benefit the Cuban government and military.

Trump has also ordered his top Cabinet officials to review existing sanctions and propose ways to strengthen them within 30 days. The memorandum emphasizes the U.S. government's stance that Cuba, under communist rule, poses a national security concern. The Cuban government has condemned the new measures, labeling them as "criminal conduct," a violation of human rights, and an escalation of economic aggression that hinders the country's development. The policy shift marks a return to the "maximum pressure" approach toward Cuba, undoing the Biden administration's softer stance. Additional restrictions aim to limit foreign investment and increase economic, commercial, and financial blockades against the island.