US Army Reserve Weighs Units for Possible Cuba Contingency Within 120 Days

The US Army Reserve is assessing whether it can supply military police, medical personnel and other support formations to US Southern Command within roughly four months, as Washington intensifies pressure on Havana.

An internal Army message asks subordinate commands to gauge the availability of six types of formations that could potentially be placed under Southern Command. The document states the units could be "possibly [be] needed in 90-120 days" and sets a September 25 deadline for commands to reply to Army Reserve headquarters.

The message does not refer to Cuba, give troop numbers, or identify where the forces might go or what mission they would support. Officials have described the request as part of continuing military planning focused on Cuba. Nothing in the document indicates that any units have received deployment orders.

The planning emerges against a backdrop of escalating rhetoric and economic pressure. In a September 22 address to the UN General Assembly, President Donald Trump called Cuba a "failed state," said his administration sought a "fundamental change" there and declared that "freedom will be coming to Cuba." The Cuban delegation walked out during the remarks.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel responded that Cuba would defend its sovereignty and accused Washington of casting the country as a threat to justify its policies.

The United States has kept its long-standing trade embargo on Cuba, while the current administration has tightened economic measures, including restrictions affecting fuel supplies. Cuba has endured severe electricity shortages and repeated grid failures this year; millions were left without power in the latest outage reported on September 19.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said conditions in Cuba will not improve without changes by the country's leadership.