Donald Trump vows to take over Cuba 'immediately' in shock invasion threat

 Donald Trump has made a renewed threat to take over Cuba "almost immediately".

The US President joked that his navy could even take the country on its way back from the Middle East conflict. "Cuba, which we will be taking over almost immediately," he told a crowd in Florida.

"On the way back from Iran, we'll have one of our big, maybe the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, the biggest in the world, we'll have that come in, stop about 100 yards offshore. They'll say 'thank you very much. We give up...' I like to finish a job."

He told how “Cuba’s got problems” during a speech before the non-profit Forum Club of the Palm Beaches in Florida.

The Trump administration is in the midst of a months-long campaign to press the Cuban government to make dramatic reforms. All the while, Trump has repeatedly threatened that the US could take military action against the island to get what he wants.

Last week Senate Republicans rejected legislation from Democrats that would have required Trump to end the US energy blockade on Cuba unless he receives approval from Congress, the Express reports.

The vote on the war powers resolution showed how Republicans continue to stand behind Trump as he acts unilaterally to exert American force in a range of global conflicts, including Venezuela, Iran and Cuba.

The Caribbean island is suffering from water and power outages as the US imposes sanctions and interrupts oil shipments from Venezuela. The Trump administration is pressing Cuba’s leadership to end political repression, release political prisoners and liberalise its ailing economy.

Trump has said that after the war with Iran, he will turn his attention to Cuba. He previously pledged “a new dawn for Cuba” during a speech at a Turning Points USA event.

Democrats argued that the war powers resolution was also necessary to head off the potential for Trump to launch a military campaign against the nation. “The United States and Cuba need to find a way to peacefully coexist,” said Sen. Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat.

Democrats have tried to mount political opposition to Trump’s military actions by forcing votes through the War Powers Act of 1973, which was intended to assert congressional power over the declaration of war.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida accused Democrats of ignoring the human rights abuses of Cuba’s leadership. “President Trump is doing everything he can to bring back freedom and democracy all across Latin America, and we should do everything we can to support him,” Scott said.