Trump Signs National Security Memorandum Reinstating Hard-Line Cuba Policy, Reimposes Tourism Ban, Orders Sanctions Review

On June 30, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) that reinstates a hard-line policy toward Cuba, reversing the more lenient measures implemented by the Biden administration. The memorandum strengthens U.S. sanctions against the communist-run Cuban government, reimposes restrictions from Trump's first term, and enforces a ban on American tourism to the island.

The directive also calls for a review by top Cabinet officials within 30 days to examine current sanctions and propose ways to tighten them further, targeting economic, commercial, and financial transactions that benefit Cuba's government and military conglomerate. The Cuban government condemned the memorandum, labeling it as a violation of international law, an act of aggression, and a criminal behavior that harms the entire Cuban population and obstructs the country's development. The new policy aims to increase pressure on the Cuban regime by reinstating maximum pressure tactics and reversing the Democratic administration's softer approach.