Trump Tightening Cuba Restrictions

President Trump is expected on Friday to announce plans to dial back the engagement between the U.S. and Cuba instituted by President Obama. The moves to curtail tourism to Cuba from the U.S. and other economic ties will be a rebuke to Trump's predecessor, who reopened relations with the island country in 2014.

The announcement, to come in a speech in Miami, is a major step toward fulfilling a campaign promise. Both Trump and then-running mate Mike Pence made rolling back relations with Cuba a major theme — especially in stops in Florida.

Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, both Cuban-Americans, played a major role in drafting the new rules. The two overcame opposition from several of the president's advisers who had recommended leaving more of Obama's policies in place.

During a briefing with reporters Thursday, White House officials were asked why the president was cracking down on Cuba while not doing the same with countries like Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The president is focused on human rights abuses in this hemisphere, officials answered.

Among the changes are a restriction on tourists going to Cuba. The current policy allows individuals to go. That will be rescinded. Americans will still be allowed to travel as groups.

Commercial flights to the island will be allowed to continue, as will cruise ships headed there. Americans will still be allowed to get their hands on Cuban rum and cigars.

The United States Embassy in Cuba will remain open.

The new policy, though, will ban most deals between American companies and the Armed Forces Business Enterprises Group, the Cuban conglomerate that operates over several levels of the island's economy.

That change will prevent Americans from staying at some, but not all, hotels. Airbnb will still be an option for Americans.

Notably, Trump is not expected to reinstate the "wet foot, dry foot" policy that Obama had ended. It allowed Cubans who made it to the Untied States to become permanent residents.

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