US Defense Secretary warns Cuba over Guantanamo weapons

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base on Wednesday, issuing a direct warning to Cuba's government against acquiring weapons that could threaten the base or the American mainland. Hegseth told U.S. troops stationed at the base that such a move would invite a confrontation the island nation could not withstand.

"It would be unwise of the government of Cuba to try to procure or get access to the types of weapons that could reach this base or the American homeland," Hegseth said. "They would be inviting the kind of confrontation not only do they not want but they could not stand. No country on Earth can match the capabilities of the United States of America."

The visit is the latest in a series of high-profile trips to the island by senior U.S. officials as the Trump administration intensifies pressure on Havana. It follows a visit less than two weeks ago by General Francis Donovan, the top U.S. commander for Latin America, who met with a senior Cuban general at the base's perimeter. In May, CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a rare trip to Havana.

Hegseth stated that the future of U.S.-Cuba relations rests with the leadership of both countries, but...