U.S.-Cuba relations explained

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The tumultuous relationship has its roots in the Cold War when Fidel Castro seized power in Havana and overthrew the U.S.-backed government of Fulgencio Batista.

A woman shops at a farmers' market beneath a portrait of late Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Havana on June 18, 2026.

A woman shops at a farmers' market beneath a portrait of late Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Havana on June 18.Yamil Lage / AFP via Getty Images

June 22, 2026, 9:59 AM EDT

By CFR Editors

This article was originally published on CFR.org and updated by NBC News.

Communist Cuba has long been a major foreign policy challenge for the United States. The second Trump administration has ushered in a period of renewed strain in bilateral relations, marked by tougher rhetoric and tighter U.S. sanctions.

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