By St. Paul’s News Team
September 27 2026 | International
The United States military is stepping up contingency planning for the Caribbean as tensions between Washington and Havana intensify, with the U.S. Army Reserve assessing whether it could provide military police, medical teams, engineers and logistics units to U.S. Southern Command within the next four months.
An internal Army message reviewed by CBS News does not mention Cuba by name. However, several U.S. officials told CBS News that the request is part of continuing military planning related to possible action involving the island.
The document does not indicate that any troops have been ordered to deploy or that President Donald Trump has authorized military action.
Army Reserve officials are seeking information on the availability of six types of units that could potentially be required within 90 to 120 days. Among them are military police and medical brigades, an engineer battalion and specialized logistics units capable of handling transportation, fuel, supplies and maintenance.
U.S. Southern Command, which oversees American military operations across Central and South America and the Caribbean, declined to discuss specific plans, citing operational security.
The latest planning comes amid increasingly sharp tensions between Washington and Havana. The Trump administration has imposed additional sanctions on Cuban entities and officials while demanding political changes on the island.
Trump has repeatedly spoken about the possibility of stronger U.S. action against Cuba, although he said Saturday that he did not believe military force would ultimately be necessary.
“Cuba and us will make a deal,” Trump told reporters, saying the United States wants to “open Cuba up.”
Cuba, meanwhile, has accused Washington of aggression and economic warfare. President Miguel Díaz-Canel has vowed that the country would be prepared to defend itself against any attack.
The latest Army planning follows earlier U.S. military preparations. American forces conducted reconnaissance around Cuba earlier this year, while U.S. airpower was placed on heightened readiness for a potential deployment. Those plans did not ultimately move forward.
CBS News also reported in July that U.S. military planners had examined several possible options for action against Cuba, including an Army-led air assault. Officials emphasized at the time that the planning did not mean a decision had been made to launch an operation.
For now, the latest Army Reserve request appears to be another step in contingency planning rather than evidence of an imminent deployment. But with Washington increasing economic and political pressure on Havana, military preparations are adding another layer of uncertainty to already strained U.S.-Cuba relations.