President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday that the U.S. will reach an agreement with the government in Havana, rendering the use of armed intervention unnecessary. Trump stated that Cuba is failing very badly and the U.S. intends to open the island to Americans and Cuban-Americans who wish to return. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott declined to rule out military action, stating that the president has a wide array of options guided by the national interest.

The comments follow reports from CBS News that the U.S. Army Reserve is assessing if it can provide six types of units, including military police, medical, and logistics forces, to Southern Command within 90 to 120 days. Internal documents reveal planners have considered options such as a hypothetical 101st Airborne air assault in July and conducted seafloor reconnaissance of the island. No deployment orders have been issued and officials stated that no final decision to act has been made.