Trump Says He Sees Possible ‘Friendly Takeover of Cuba’

US President Donald Trump suggested a possible “friendly takeover of Cuba” as the White House looks to leverage the Communist-run island’s energy crisis to exert greater influence.

“They’re in big trouble, and we could very well do something good, I think, very positive for the people that were expelled, or worse, from Cuba that live here,” Trump told reporters Friday as he departed the White House for Texas. “You know, we have people living here that want to go back to Cuba.”

US President Donald Trump

Photographer: Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg

“We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba,” he added.

Trump’s comments are ...