Emily Jashinsky

Secretary of State Marco Rubio releasing a Spanish language video directly targeting Cubans saying, quote, the real reason you don't have electricity, fuel or food is because those who control your country have plundered billions of dollars, but nothing has been used to help the people.

These latest actions coming amid a series of recent moves raising questions about whether the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for a more aggressive military confrontation with Cuba.

In March, President Trump openly floating the idea of, quote, taking Cuba in some form, calling the island a failed nation and saying he believed he could, quote, do anything he wanted with it.

Earlier this year, the U.S.

military captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, a longtime Cuban ally who had already been indicted by the DOJ.

Venezuela now run by Maduro's former deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, who has been allowed to remain in power as long as she cooperates with the administration.

Maduro's removal has had direct consequences for Havana.

For years, Venezuela was one of Cuba's most important oil lifelines.

Since Maduro's ouster, the administration blocking oil shipments to Cuba, worsening an already severe fuel crisis, prolonging blackouts, and stirring up the civilian population.

And earlier this week, Axios reporting, based on alleged classified intelligence, that Cuba, in its weakened state, has obtained more than 300 military drones from U.S.

adversaries and discussed possible attacks on American targets, including Guantanamo Bay, U.S.

military vessels and possibly Key West, Florida.

Cuban's foreign minister calling the allegation a fraudulent case designed to justify possible military action.

We spoke to South Florida-based freelance journalist Juan Rojas, who sees the Trump administration's push against Cuba as part of a broader electoral strategy.

With recent polling showing President Trump hemorrhaging Hispanic support, Rojas says the push to topple Cuba's communist regime could help the administration shore up a key part of its Latino coalition.

Rojas says D.C.

is making a dangerous bet that making conditions even worse will force Cubans into revolt.

Rojas warns Cuba is not Venezuela and that any hopes of copying the Maduro playbook may be underestimating the island.

The House Judiciary Committee holding a hearing yesterday on the Southern Poverty Law Center, or SPLC, amid mounting scrutiny of the once prominent civil rights organization now under federal indictment.

The hearing examining what House Republicans describe as the SPLC's role in artificially elevating the threat of domestic extremism.