Trump declares Cuba a threat to the U.S. and imposes tariffs on countries that send oil to regime

President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring Cuba's communist regime a threat to the country and imposing tariffs on all those groups and countries that maintain business with or supply oil to the island, including Russia, China and Iran, as well as terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah. The threat of tariffs comes amid a series of warnings Trump has issued against Havana following the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro on January 3.

In the executive order, Trump declared a "national emergency" that creates a "tariff system" for countries and groups doing business with Cuba. The president used this same mechanism earlier this year to impose a series of tariffs on numerous countries. Currently, the Supreme Court is evaluating whether the president has the authority to use tools such as national emergencies to impose tariffs on foreign countries.

"Under this system, an additional ad valorem duty may be imposed on imports of goods that are products of a foreign country that directly or indirectly sells or otherwise provides any oil to Cuba. In my judgment, the tariff system, as described below, is necessary and appropriate to address the national emergency declared in this order," Trump wrote in the order, in which he also noted that the secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the secretary of State, will determine whether "a foreign country directly or indirectly sells or otherwise provides any oil to Cuba."